Saviours - Book 2
by X-Lisa-Anne-X
Summary: "Who am I?" Was the only question running through Winter's mind. "Am I still the Winter Soldier?" She paused, "Or am I Avery Rogers?" Memories start to trickle in, but she doesn't know what is real and what is not. How can she tell? How can she determine who she was and who she is now? How will she know? There is both a beginning and an end, but which will she catch first?
1. Avery Rogers - The Winter Soldier

**IMPORTANT!**

This is Book 2 - Please read 'Alive but not Awake' for this to really make sense. Thanks...

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 **Summary: "Who am I?" Was the only question running through Winter's mind. "Am I still the Winter Soldier?" She paused, "Or am I Avery Rogers?" Memories start to trickle in, but she doesn't know what is real and what is not. How can she tell? How can she determine who she was and who she is now? How will she know? There is both a beginning and an end, but which will she catch first?**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Avery Rogers – The Winter Soldier**

 _Avery Rogers was a small petite girl in her younger years, so much slimmer than the usual girl in her time … but that was grown out of as she got older. Her body grew into a woman by the age of 19, back in the day every man was looking to her with googly-eyes. But there was only one man she had her eyes on for many years. James Buchanan Barnes._

 _James was the last one to catch on about her small crush, a crush that soon turned into a deep undying love. He too, showed off his affection as he grew older. By the time he had hit his twenty's, he was head over heels in love with her. Neither thought that they'd be alive nearly a hundred years later, still in their twenties … but that was just one of the world's greatest mysteries and miracles. Avery Rogers may not have her memories fully returned and James may not have her in his arms right now, but they were alive. They would find their way back to each other … lovers always do…_

 _Back in 1945; things were much simpler but more complicated at the same time. The simple part being who someone was fighting. Hydra were at war with Shield and America. Shield and America were fighting back at Hydra. No one realised the bigger impact of this time until 2013. There was a hidden agenda behind everything; they weren't sure how they couldn't have figured it out sooner – if they had, maybe more people would be alive to tell the tale._

 _This hidden agenda started with a name. Avery Rogers, also known as Ava. She's the lost sister of the renowned Captain America, Steve Rogers. And the lover of Lieutenant America, James Buchanan Barnes, also known as Bucky. This name was used many times in the evolvement of this plan; she was the one that would crumble everything – the single person that the both American heroes held dear to them. And these people knew that – it's what they wanted in their overall outcome._

 _Avery Rogers had become an experiment, straight after being pronounced dead when she fell out of a moving Hydra train during a raid. Any normal person would have died upon impact when hitting the ground, from hundreds of meters in the sky – but she didn't. Hydra had already planned to take her life away from her boys … so they started the manipulation to her cells when they first had a good hold of her. This was during the time her team had been captured for several weeks. And no one ever knew … no one ever expected … and no one thought anything of it as to why she had been kept separated from the others for days on end back in that holding cell._

 _Hydra had kept this a secret for almost that whole one-hundred years; until James 'Bucky' saw her face that day back on the highway-pass fight. When that mask flew off after his attack, his heart stopped. It was like he couldn't breathe and everything just came rushing back._

 _But the thing is, this wasn't Avery Rogers anymore – the one he knew and loved with all his heart. The long dark-haired familiar female was different, there was a stench of death in her aura. This person in the dark was known as The Winter Soldier and this woman was born the day Avery Rogers had died._

 _That is why she was alive but not awake; the body of Avery Rogers was very much alive and kicking – it's just the person she used to be, the very essence that made this body alive … was dead. Avery Rogers had been kicked out for another persona, another soldier to fight a war that would never end._

 _Hydra had planned this and had never foreseen any complications to this._

 _But, what they didn't plan was for that persona; The Winter Soldier to have her memory start coming back in small minuscule pieces. During her time in the world, she did remember small details of what she had deemed to be a 'fake' life. She had disregarded them as per what her training told her to do. But when she saw James Buchanan Barnes in the flesh again, something snapped – something inside of her took a hold of something deep within and began to unravel it. Everything Hydra had accomplished was starting to diminish within a couple of days._

 _This wouldn't do … this wasn't the plan…_

 _So Pierce ordered what they could only have done – and that was to re-wipe her memory. Everything they had accomplished in bringing out hatred for these two American heroes had instantly vanished, all to be left with an empty shell The ultimate willing super soldier with nothing to lose._

 _But even that didn't last for long._

 _The last fight … the last time The Winter Solider had seen this Lieutenant America, something sparked and crackled. And this time, it held on. Winter disappeared off the face of the Earth, untraceable … but those two American heroes, they wouldn't let go … they couldn't. So they kept searching, and searching … and searching. Not stopping until they got her back. Bucky would never stop until he got his lover back and Steve would never stop until he got his twin sister back. That was their new mission … the one that truly mattered anymore._

 _And that is where our story starts … the beginning to an end … the moment when two superheroes become the only saviours for a broken girl with shredded memories, but, will they succeed in bringing back the one they want or be stuck with another person entirely?_

 _This could get a whole lot worse before it even gets better…_

 **Note: Ahh! I literally just went out to buy the DVD to the new Avengers movie when I realised it came out today! YEY! I was honestly having trouble starting this, but as soon as I started typing … it just came to me. I know that this is a very long-awaited sequel for many of you, so I hope I don't disappoint. Let me know what you think …**

 **P.S, Some of you may know from reading my other fanfics [The Family Business], but I will say this for the newcomers and that is that I really have a lack of time to my writing lately. I'm changing departments at work and becoming full-time, 50-55 hours a week with long days … and I have other stuff on top of that along with trying my hardest to save up for college next January. Updates for all of my stories can really vary and I will not make set dates but I will try my hardest to update as much as possible.**

 **Oh! Alive but not Awake has officially reached 50,000 views – I am honestly bubbling with many emotions right now – thankfulness, happiness, shock … I could go on…**

 **Anyway, let me know what you think! Review, Follow, Fav!**


	2. The Beginning

**There will be some sibling time with Steve and a few flashbacks from the past in this chapter. This is a very long original chapter, but this is because this will be the only one before the movie is written in.**

 **I re-read my prologue and a thought came to me – that is probably the best prologue I've ever written honestly. I'm so proud of myself every time I read it [and I can't seem to stop reading it], it's amazing..haha.. Anyway, enough about me … here we are with the official first chapter…**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Beginning**

Many months had gone by yet so much has happened. Bucky and Steve were able to finally find Ava, or Winter as she wanted to be called. Neither of them, including Winter, knew how to act around each other – she was the splitting image of someone they had thought died 75 years ago, it hurt to see her and know their true Ava was still not back in their lives.

Winter had gone through many changes since that day at the Smithsonian museum, she had immediately traveled to find answers after the first breakthrough with her memories. But every time she found a new trail with hydra, she came up with a dead end. It didn't help either when every day she kept getting new memories stuffed into her brain from the past life. At this point in time; she was neither the Winter Soldier nor Avery Rogers 'Ava'. She was someone different - someone she couldn't even really explain to herself. She had the memories of her current persona, The Winter Soldier. But there were also the remnants of Avery Roger's life pushing into her – this other person's life was making her feel things she never remembers feeling or thinking.

Unable to ask or accept help, which was something she as a well-trained soldier would never do – she allowed the two American heroes a chance a finding her, to see if they were true to her newly found memories as being loyal and loving towards this Avery Rogers.

And they came and answered.

Winter had stood upon the old, abandoned railway tracks of the place Avery Rogers had been taken away from the world. There was meaning to this; as she waited for their arrival. She started to fully remember what happened to her … to Avery. She would never speak the words out loud, but she needed help and those two seemed to be the only ones who could. She remembered more quickly in their presence last time – maybe it will this time too? Inside she knew being alone wasn't a good idea anyway, and she was starting to get that.

There must be side effects to the machine that deleted her memories, because ever since that last wipe, memories that were slowly coming back and they were starting to hurt. They were painful, sometimes excruciating. At one point, she actually felt scared. And this something entirely new for Winter; she was taught and trained to NEVER feel emotions, and many had come up during the past couple of months, but never … fear. At soon as that emotion touched, every fear Avery Rogers had before her elimination came rushing back in the form of a heartache. It was like she had finally longed to see the two American heroes to make her feel better, and this was something she hated herself for feeling.

And now, she stood in a small glass-windowed room, looking out to the city of New York. A 'Tony Stark' had been kind enough to offer her a place in his tower, her room (with a bathroom of her own) was in between the two American hero's rooms. They had obviously been too busy to look for a place of their own during the time she was being tracked down – but she couldn't help but feel safe within these walls, this was yet another thing that had started to slip into her in the form of a feeling.

Her hair was naturally straightened, a gloss from her darkened hair shining against the warming sun. Her skin was a little more tanned than last time after her travelling mission, small black bags under her eyes were starting to show – she really wasn't getting enough sleep these days. Nightmares kept her awake. Her style of clothing hadn't changed much; she wore black skinny pants pretty much all the time, they were the only things that felt comfortable (and they were the only things she had actually tried on lately), she had on a pair of combat boots, a cream looking sweater with a white tank top underneath. This was literally all she would wear day to day now unless a mission had come up. The sweater was to keep people from looking at the metal arm attached to her body, she didn't like people staring.

Winter didn't really know what her role was when it came to the Avengers missions; sure, they wanted her to come along and find this sceptre or something they were looking for. But do they trust her? Not really. Do they like her? She didn't know. Now, was she an Avenger herself? That she couldn't tell you either, because she really didn't know what her role was in this place. She couldn't even give them much on Hydra themselves even after living with them for the past 75 years.

There was a wall of guilt and shame built in her mind, everything she had done since her birth 75 years ago. The Winter Soldier was a stone-cold killer and all the lives she had taken from that day weighed on her heavily, her soul's been darkened and destroyed. It's a wonder as to why these Avengers hadn't gotten rid of her for the terrible crimes she had committed over that vast time period.

She crossed her arms against her chest but still gazed down below; people were walking around with their amazingly normal lives ahead of them, no one worrying about anything other than what their futures might consist of. Her fingers slowly lifted to just below her neck where a chain was hanging from, her hand grabbed gently onto the small object hanging on it – a ring. This had been the memorial object she had stolen from that dark-haired super-soldier, once she had saved him from drowning. She never was able to get many more memories out of this piece of jewelry, she only remembered the day that sh-Ava had received it. She was able to remember that event pretty clearly more than the others which felt slightly odd.

A knock sounded at the door making her jump out of the thinking space she had been in. The chain dropped from her fingers, falling back down her sweater – hidden.

She glanced towards the door, "Who is it?" She questioned, not moving from her spot.

"It's me." The familiar voice of Steve Rogers called through the closed door. "Can I come in?" He asked, sounding nervous in his tone.

"Okay."

The door opened and Steve's head poked through for a moment before his body followed. He closed the door behind him. Winter had seen a lot of Steve recently, she's seen Barnes too but not as often, he seemed to be avoiding her a little. She had an inkling that the reason had to be because she wasn't what he was expecting to find. Both the American Heroes were probably hoping she had regained a lot of her memories back by now, at least started going by Avery Rogers from now on, along with acting like the woman.

"Why are you here?" Winter wondered bluntly, her brows furrowing in confusion – she turned towards him fully with crossed arms and a tilted head. She watched as the Captain's shoulders slumped shortly at her tone, he was probably thinking she'd be happier to see him. From the part of the memories that have Avery in them, that's how she would react – happy and curious. But right now, she just seemed confused.

"Um," Steve began, crossing his own arms with a sigh, "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for a bit?" He asked, "Get out of the building," His shoulders shrugged with a thoughtful look, "Maybe get a hot dog?"

Winter frowned, looking a little interested. "Where would we go?"

Steve shrugged, "I could show you around a bit, I haven't explored much myself since I woke up so I figured – why don't we do it together." He knew Ava loved to explore and do new things. Maybe if he started to interact with Winter this way, he'll be able to find his twin in there somewhere a little faster.

Winter thought for a moment, it did sound like fun. Whenever there had been a mission, she was never allowed to stray from it – Hydra were very strict when it came to the completion of missions. Besides, it's not like she had anything better to do than look out a window and act all depressive with these mind-boggling memories being stuffed into her head. "Alright." She nodded, accepting his invitation. A thought came to mind, "What about Barnes?" She asked, wondering if he would be coming along – a part of her felt a spark of hope crawl inside her, it's like she couldn't help it.

Steve sighed, shaking his head. "Nah," He said, "He's helping Natasha and Barton train."

Winter made sure not to change her mood and posture in front of him, because if she did, she would have looked a little unhappy about where Bucky was. "Right," She played it off, "Are we going now then?"

"Sure." Steve looked happy when she accepted and even though she didn't try to show it, he did see a small change in her demeanor when he mentioned what Bucky was doing right now. Maybe his sister was starting to come back?

…

"What is this place?" Winter wondered as they walked around a large lake with trees trailing around the edges. There were dozens of people walking about through this park; a part of her hurt when she watched a man and woman holding hands, laughing to each other with happy smiles on their faces.

Steve shoved his hands into his pants pockets, "It's called Central Park." He told her. The two of them had walked here on foot from the tower, neither wanting to be inside a small car – he would have used his newly reformed motorcycle but he didn't think Av-Winter would feel comfortable. He understood her hesitation to trust them and feel again; she had been through a lot since she had supposedly died. Even if Bucky hadn't seemed to grasp it yet; there was still a long way to go until their Ava was returning to them. She may not, and this would have to be something they'd have to live with if or when the time came.

They stopped by a wooden bench, Winter took a seat – just staring out into the water with a blank but thoughtful face. Her hands were held together between her knees, her head tilted as her gaze wandered. This place felt weird for Winter – she had seen places like this before, but none seemed to make her feel like this. She felt calm and at peace here, the water in front of her was clear – little children were trying to chase the ducks waddling near the water and dogs were hurdling after tennis balls. This place, if felt … pure. Like nothing could destroy what it had to offer the next person.

"It's nice, huh?" Steve questioned, taking his hands out, sitting beside her comfortably. He bent over a little so his elbows touched his knees. He looked over to her, "It kind of makes you forget all the things happening in the world."

Winter nodded, "Yes, it does seem like that doesn't it?" She said, leaning back.

There was a moment of silence as Steve just looked to the woman who wore his sister's body. As far as he could tell from the last week of having found her, only a small portion of his sister had been drawn out since the last fight she had with Bucky. From the moment they found her, she had made sure to tell them who she was to be called. Winter. It hurt to know that she didn't want to be called Ava or Avery, but she wasn't ready for that and he could live with that, for now. She wasn't exactly acting like his sister anyway. Mostly he just wanted his twin back, the one he could always count on – the one who completed him, they were like two pees in a pod. He just wanted her to come back after all this time having been deceased through history.

There was one thing though; both he and Bucky had made sure not to pressure her with questions because of this. They had wanted to know more about what she was currently remembering and what had actually happened to her, really. Not just what had been written in a folder filled with a bunch of paper. He could barely read all of what was in there, everything was so … he honestly didn't have a word for it. If everything that was written down, was true – it was surprising his sister, or Winter in this case – how was she not in a traumatic catatonic state? But even the files didn't contain everything, it was still pretty vague on a lot of the details.

Coming to Central Park right now was part of his plan, he wanted to ask what really happened after all these years – to ask if there was any chance of his sister returning to him – to ask if Bucky was ever going to get his fiancé back.

"Ask." Winter spoke bluntly, not looking towards him – she slowly closed her eyes, enjoying the small breeze flushing against her face. She saw right through him; maybe it was this Avery part of her feeling it or it could have just been because of her training, she really didn't know.

Steve was a little surprised at first but then realised what she meant. That was another thing he had noticed from her; she had Ava's ability to know what other people were thinking. She did it to him all the time, they had always called in a twin instinct, not that it was ever really proved though.

He couldn't help but ask the one thing that had been on his mind ever since he had found out from Bucky about her actually being alive. "How?" He asked, not realising how vague he was being. It just popped out.

Winter's eyes opened, her mouth forming a confused frown. "Excuse me?" She questioned, finally turning to him. What was that supposed to mean?

"How did you survive?" He said with more detail, "You fell out of a train! Hundreds of feet in the air from a mountain!" His sister falling out of that train was still a vivid memory in his brain, it flashed in his mind once more to remind him of the horror that broke his heart.

" _Ava!" Steve and Bucky's broken voices screamed after her tumbling body – they watched as it disappeared, too far to see from the moving train they were in._

"I-" Winter opened her mouth but her mouth went dry, there was only so little she could remember about that time. Bu the event he was talking about was pretty clear in her head, the memory had been one of the first to pound her head in with – it was what happened before and after she didn't have a good grasp on things. "I remember falling, you and Barnes were there … then everything went dark." She started, her mind trying to muggle around all the visions she had been having lately. "There was a small man with an odd looking face and rounded glasses, I think his name was Zego, Zolo or something?"

"Dr. Zola." Steve asked, his brows furrowing with concern. A bubble of hatred for the man bubbled under his skin, that name hadn't been in the file – his fists clenched.

The name was recognisable. "Yes." Winter nodded, turning to him. "He did things to her … me," She corrected herself, she had to get used to the fact that this Avery Rogers was her – that these memories were actually her own.

" _You will be our greatest weapon, Miss Avery." Dr. Zola smirked, "You will serve Hydra to the best of your ability's when we are done with your reconstruction."_

"He said I would be his greatest weapon – Hydra's greatest weapon once he was done with me, until the reconstruction had been completed." Her look began distant, "I didn't even realise what he meant until I looked at my arm…" She unconsciously touched her metal unmoving arm through the sweater with her human hand. "…it was like it had been ripped off, I guess I must have caught something when I fell out of that train. "

Steve swallowed hard at what she was telling him, but one thing still bothered him more, "But, how were you able to survive?" No normal human would have been able to survive that fall, even with the most amount of luck someone could even get.

Winter tried to think back, "I think…" She began, "It must have been back when I was taken before then. I-I can't remember when, though." She explained but her vision went dark with pictures, a throbbing pain lingering in her frontal lobe.

 _The room was dark, only small lanterns were lit – the room's walls were made of old bricks – it looked like some kind of secret basement for experiments. On a small table, in the middle of the room was a long dark-haired woman lying on it, she wore a dirty white tank top and American army-style pants. Her skin was layered with sweat, she seemed to be mumbling incoherently to herself. Her arms were tied to the table, there were no markings of any sort covered on her body that showed._

 _Suddenly, two men burst into the room wearing soldier uniforms. It was Captain and Lieutenant America._

 _Bucky looked around the room, wondering why Dr. Zola had been in here – running away with a briefcase full of papers. It wasn't until he saw the woman when his eyes widened, "Ava!" He exclaimed, running the woman's side almost instantly with fear imbedded into his gut._

" _Avery!" Steve's eyes widened as well, seeing his twin lying on the table strapped down. She didn't react to either of their voices at first, she seemed to be too entranced by what was going on in that head of hers – her eyes were drooping, she was under the influence of several drugs in her system by the looks of it. And this was what scared the two boys the most, she never reacted well too many of the current day's drugs._

 _Bucky reached forwards, grasping her cheeks gently, "Avery." He said to her, trying to sound comforting but her lack of reality understanding was really worrying him – fear was evident on both their faces. "Ava, it's me. It's Bucky and Steve."_

 _The two names seemed to spark a reaction out of her, "Steve … James…?" She mumbled, giving a small giggle in her words. It only took another moment before she started to return back to normal, whatever it was inside of her must be starting to disappear._

 _Steve let out a breath of relief, "Oh, thank god!" He murmured, proceeding to take off the restraints from her body. Bucky helped her sit up before hugging her with a tight hold, helping her stand on her feet – she nearly fell but he was able to catch her before she did. "We thought you were gone; that they killed you!" His voice cracked. Both men felt tears of relief catching in the corner of their eyes._

 _Ava shook her head, trying to get her mind straightened out. But when she looked up, she had to make a double take. She blinked once, then twice – in fact she had to blink about ten times to finally realise what she was seeing in front of her. "Steve?" She questioned with a slight draining wobble to her voice, her head tilted with confusion. She also had to question if her sanity had left her during her hold with Hydra. "I swear you were half my size … how'd you get so big?." Her brother was now the same height as her and honesty, she found it a little creepy…_

Winter groaned, holding her head in her hands, a bold grimace formed on her lips. "Ava?!" The worried tone of Steve fluttered in her ear, his hands on both her shoulders – he must be kneeling in front of her now. "Avery!"

"Stop calling me that!" She growled back at him, feeling irritated from the pain in her head but also at the fact that he had called her someone she wasn't – she shook off his hands – flinching back as far as she could get, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. "I've already told you, it's Winter!" She forgot all about trying to be this Avery person again; the frustration was bubbling too much over the surface.

Steve couldn't help but flinch at the tone of her voice, it was one his sister was never capable of speaking – she had been too soft and defiant for a normal person. When he and Bucky found her on that mountain, Winter really had told him what she wanted to be called.

 _Winter stood at the edge of the mountain top, right next to the abandoned rail tracks. The cold wind blew through her hair, her arms were crossed as she waited for the two American heroes to find her._

" _Ava?!" The voice of James Buchanan Barnes shouted, making her glance over her shoulder towards the voice. And then she saw them, they stood together in their hero uniforms – their shields tied to their backs._

" _Avery…" Steve breathed beside Bucky. He was really seeing her; his twin sister really was alive – she was standing right there in front of him. It all felt real now … Ava was alive! He trusted Bucky and had always believed him to be telling the truth, and even with all the information Natasha was able to get for them about this Winter Soldier. None of it really felt real until now. His sister had survived like they had, just not in an iceberg that melted several years ago._

" _That's not me." Was the first thing that came out of her mouth with a blunt tone. She stared at them, turning her body around so she was now facing them full-on. "Avery Rogers died 75 years ago." She continued, "I'm just her shell with a couple of memories – I'm Winter … not her." Winter couldn't help but feel like her words didn't mean much – that some of them were actually a lie … she felt guilty for saying this but it was the only way to ensure they wouldn't push her into speaking about these memories she's beginning to remember._

Winter cracked her neck to the side, leaning back again with a dulled enough brain. "I'd like to go back to my room now if you don't mind." With that she stood without waiting for an answer, walking away leaving Steve kneeling by the bench – looking forlorn and saddened about what had just happened.

…

Winter had practically stormed through the streets on the way back to the tower – she was sure a few people had been knocked over by her shoulder and she didn't care. She had to shove her hands into her pockets to hide the metal arm she had attached to her. The sweater did a lot to cover up but gloves were out of the question, unless they were fingerless ones and even then they wouldn't cover up the metal looking fingers – she just didn't care for them at all.

Now, she found herself in the training gym a few floors up – it was something Tony had put in when he found himself housing a bunch of superheroes. Winter was ignoring everything around her, just focusing on the large punching bag in front of her, punch after punch smacked against the object – it's force was so hard that small minuscule cracks began to form on the ceiling from where it hung.

The training room itself was pretty big; there was a small kitchen over to the side for snacks and water. There was pretty much a whole gym here, times two!

"Oooh." A voice sounded from behind Winter with amusement, "Someone's a pissed off little soldier." Winter gritted her teeth, not liking herself being a solider either – without even realising it, she smashed the bag too hard and it flung across the room – successfully making a large dent in the wall as it crashed into the plaster board – the bag fell with a thump to the floor. The poor thing was probably glad no more abuse was going to happen to it, well, not right now at least.

"What do you want, Stark?!" Winter countered back with clenched fists, not moving from her spot – just gazing at the bag with narrowed eyes. It still amazed her as to how much strength she held within this body of hers – it wasn't normal, but then, she would never be normal, would she?

Tony was leaning against the doorway, his arms folded with the usual cocky smile plastered on his face. He gave her a shrug. "Just simply seeing what kind of damage you're causing to my home." He replied, not at all worried about the crack in the ceiling – the now broken punching bag or the large dent in the wall. "Besides, I wanna know what's making you so cranky. You looked fine when you went out with Popsicle no. 1."

Winter sighed, rolling her eyes at the name, "It's Steve." She felt her fists starting to unclench slowly, he was starting to take her mind away from her frightening thoughts.

"Whatever…" He waved her off, walking over to the breakfast counter – hopping up to sit on one of the high chairs. He picked a blueberry out of the bowl of fruits sitting in the middle before plopping it into his mouth. "So, what's up little Rogers?"

Winter took in a deep breathe in an attempt to keep in her twitching nerves, "It's Winter." She repeated, feeling like she's had to repeat it more than a hundred times. If she had stayed away, maybe she wouldn't be in this mess.

Tony scoffed, "Sure." His tone was not believing it. "Whether you like it or not, you're the littlest Rogers in the family."

She huffed at that without even stopping herself, "Actually Steve's the youngest by not even a min-" She stopped, this time, realising what she was saying. To the side, Tony grinned with accomplishment when he caught her.

"Ha!" He exclaimed, pointing a finger over to her. "Gotcha!" He threw another berry into his mouth, chomping away at it with that grin still attached to his face. "You are little Miss Rogers after all!" He rolled his eyes, "And here I thought you were some kind of doppelganger here to twist the two pee brains of Steve and Barnes."

Winter groaned with annoyance, she ran her fingers through her hair – one either side of her head – her fingers squeezed at her the roots before releasing with aggravation. Why was this man even here? He was the most irritating being on this planet right now! "Shut up." She begged loudly, not wanting to get into this right now. "Just, please … shut up!" That was two first for her as The Winter Soldier – begging and saying 'please', that she knew of anyway. Even some of her Winter Soldier memories were scattered and gone for some reason.

This time, he did stop to watch how she ignored the broken punching bag, making herself sitting against the wall – she tipped her head back till it hit the wall behind her. Winter closed her eyes, trying to make herself look blank like she had done so many times while being The Winter Soldier.

Tony frowned with interest, "Why are you so intent on ignoring who you really are?" He questioned, getting her to open her eyes and turn to him with a tired look.

Winter took a moment before blinking at the question, "Maybe because who I really am … isn't someone anyone knows yet, not even me." She replied and all the anger and frustration just seemed to drain out of her – she couldn't even be bothered to try and fight anymore. At least for now, she was done trying – no one was ever going to get it; and really, some part of her still didn't get it either.

Tony didn't seem to understand, "You're Avery Rogers." He told her like it was the most obvious answer in the world. "The Cap believes it – your lover boy believes it. Hell, everyone in this building believes it!" He paused himself, "Why don't you?"

"No." She stopped him, "I believe it." She told him, looking serious for her own statement – if felt weird talking to him, it hadn't been long ago that she had been silent for pretty much the entire time. In the past, she would have never spoken out like this – let alone feel something deeper and more pronounced to go along with it. "It's just that…" She paused, trying to think of a way how he'll believe it. She sighed, "…For the past 75 years," She began again, knowing what to say now. "I've been the Winter Soldier with only several set missions to accomplish with my life – I was an emotionless, homicidal bitch if you want to be literal. And then, all of a sudden – I'm ripped away from everything I've ever know – being forced to remember things I've never even dreamed or felt before." Her metal hand gripped tightly around her human wrist and if she didn't have this extra not-normal strength, she'd had a hefty bruise in the morning. "I'm being forced to remember a past life – remembering a person who technically died when I was born, so to speak."

Tony interrupted her, confused. "Shouldn't you be happy about that though? Finding out Hydra were liars? That you actually had a family and loved ones missing you? Hydra were using you to kill innocent people weren't they?!" His father flashed through his mind; he didn't know or want to know whether she had been the one who killed his father but he couldn't help but remember it. Ever since Steve had told him about Hydra being possibly involved in a cover-up to kill his father; he still couldn't help but think about it every now and then when he looked at this woman.

"Somewhat." She admitted, some of the people she had killed were good – but most were also bad. The soldier part of her thought it was to fight a war that needed to be fought – the good fight. But this was the guilt and shame she'd have to live with every day now that she had all these feelings and thoughts riddling in this body of hers. "But that's not the point I'm trying to make." She said, "What I'm saying is – how can I be Avery Rogers when I've been The Winter Soldier for nearly a century and when I was her, all I did was kill and manipulate. And then, how can I be The Winter Soldier when I feel all this human crap blinding me. Avery Rogers was a strong but sweet girl, she looked after the ones closest to her, even the strangers on the street. She had a goal to make a difference in the world and the soldier destroyed that the moment Hydra gave the first mission. The Winter soldier was supposed to be a hatred-riddled soldier with nothing but a mission to look forward to. Now…" She shook her head, shrugging, "I'm a shell with a broken head. I may call myself Winter but…" She paused again, "…really, I'm not even her either. I'm neither of them – I just simply don't exist anymore." It hurt to know she had no place to really go; this was all she knew and had left in the world.

Tony seemed to understand because he nodded his head, he really had been listening closely. It made sense what she was saying; he just didn't know if the boys would understand like he did or anyone else would. By the way she was talking; it sounded like the Avery Rogers they knew and loved would never be coming back – and that was something he didn't know whether the two could survive even looking at her every day with.

"It's not their fault, though." He said to her after a moment, talking about the two American heroes.

Winter frowned in a confused manner, "What's not their fault?" Who were 'they'? Because there were several of them bouncing in her head right now.

"Steve and Bucky." He replied. "Steve just wants his sister back and Bucky wants that girl he fell in love with back in the day, well, back in his arms anyway. It's not their fault you can't decide who you want to be and it's not like you've actually explained anything to them like you did for me." He shrugged, "As far as I can see it, you're not only causing yourself pain but to them also. You need to really think about who you want to be before something really does get broken – and by broken, I mean something that can't even be fixed." He glanced to the damages in the room before grabbing another handful of berries, standing up from the stool and stretching out his limbs a bit. He started walking over to the door, nibbling on a berry. "And if you want my advice – I would decide what you want sooner rather than later." He gave her one last cocky grin and a wiggle to his eyebrows before leaving the room, needing to call the interior decorator who built the gym room in the first place.

Winter just watched him walk out … her mind reeling. Did, Tony Stark? Just offer really good advice? She didn't know him really, at all even – but hearing the whispers of those Avengers and other people who actually work in the building, all he was is a cocky know-it-all millionaire with too much money for his own playful good.

But all she could think as he walked out was … 'Who did I really want to be?'

 **Note: 12 hour warehouse day again … *sighs tiredly* Now I should get to sleep cause I have another tomorrow…**

 **On another note, I hoped you guys liked the Tony and Steve interaction with Winter/Ava, please let me know what you think! Lisa… [Follow, Fav, Review would be appreciated so much]**


	3. The Last Hydra Base

**Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Last Hydra Base**

 **Four Months Later…Sokovia…Hydra Base…**

Snap … Crack … Punch … Kick

Winter bounced from side to side in combat mode – Hydra soldiers were coming in from all places, but she was too strong and too skilled for them to take her down so easily. They were falling limp like rocks.

Four months had passed since the talk Tony had given her, and since then, things had been moving along at a good smooth-enough pace – she was still remembering details here and there. But the biggest achievement so far was being able to talk to Steve and Bucky without acting like, well, a bitch.

To put it simply; the three of them made a deal. She would try her hardest in bringing out Avery Rogers and in return, they were not to push her. From now on she had decided to go with Ava (Avery) as being her name, but, in the field – she was to be called Winter. This was the compromise. She was still far away from being the real Avery Rogers but this was a start, and she was actually finding it pretty nice to bounce between the two personalities.

Since that day more Avengers Missions had been happening – these superheroes had given her the full briefing after a month of being around, telling her what was really going on – what had happened during wherever she was that made her miss the action. She must have been in the sleeping coma when this first alien fight happened in New York – she honestly wished she had fought in it, it sounded exciting in a way.

Beside her, doing the exact same things as her was Bucky – or well, Lieutenant America if you wanted to be 'superhero specific' during this moment in time. They actually work pretty well as a team Winter had fingered out, or again – Ava. She still doesn't have many of the earlier memories but she did remember some of when she fought side by side with the two American heroes in the past – before her altered personality. And this was a good thing. A thought occurred to her one night, that if she had regained these memories during her time as 'The Winter Soldier', maybe she wouldn't have tried to kill them last year – or even built up such a ridiculous hatred towards them. But everything that had been told to her was from two someone's she had presumably trusted, Dr. Zola and Agent Alexander Pierce. She felt like such a fool for being tricked by those hooligans – she should have used her training more to figure out what the true goal was. She had been just a pawn in one of their spiteful and disgusting games.

"Winter!" Bucky yelled, flinging his shield towards her – seeing two men holding rifles in their hands, all about ready to shoot her.

Winter grabbed the object without even looking, directing it's oncoming force towards those two men – the shield bounced from one face to the other – effectively knocking them out cold … and probably breaking both their foreheads. That was sure to hurt in the morning … if they even wake up…

" _SHIT!"_ Tony's annoyed curse blurted through their earpieces.

" _Language_." Steve's immediate reply was – this was something that released a chuckle from both Winter and Bucky. They shared an amused look. In the last three months, things between them have gotten a lot more comfortable – it wasn't just about the deal that was made between them. Winter knew and could slightly remember that Ava meant a lot to Bucky – so much so that they were to be wed. This gave her a different idea for their relationship until the day she regained her full memories back. They were to essentially start over – pretty much completely over.

…

" _How about we start over?" Winter suggested, shrugging slightly at a loss for ideas. "I want you to show me the guy Avery fell in love with. Who knows … maybe something will … click?"_

 _Bucky looked down for a moment, thinking. After everything, each of them had been through … maybe this would be the best overall solution? "Okay." He agreed, nodding his head after a second. He slowly formed a grin on his lips, looking up to her and letting his hand raise up between them – remembering how they first met in the first place. "I'm James." He introduced himself. "James Buchanan Barnes."_

 _Winter's shoulders slumped just a touch, her eyes looking … relieved? "I'm Winter." She started to shake his hand, not being able to help but notice how warm and soft his touch was. "Or … I-I go by Ava, Avery Rogers." She had hesitated for a second when she said Ava's name – but she said it, and it was a start. This new beginning will be good for everyone … they hoped._

…

"Jarvis." Bucky threw another soldier into the tree, less were coming at them now – these Hydra soldiers obviously got the picture that they'd be beaten to a bloody pulp if they tried to get near them. "What's the view from up there?"

" _The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield_ _."_ Jarvis's robotic voice replied almost instantly after being asked. _"_ _Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken."_

Winter chucked the shield back to Bucky, "There seems to be a lot more idiots to fight too." She muttered, grunting as she elbowed another gunman in the face as he tried to get up from his attack. There were only five people left to take down – 'a piece of cake', she thought. Winter was glad to have a new uniform, it was much easier to maneuver in and was pretty stylish too considering her lack of clothing taste. The uniform was nicely shielded and had pockets for at least 5 different guns of her choice, including a couple of knife pockets too as a precaution.

" _Loki's sceptre must be here._ " Thor declared, the power of his voice booming through. _"Strucker couldn't mount this defence without it."_ He was determined to push forwards with all his might _._ _"At long last."_

Natasha's grunt came through next _, "_ _'At long last' is lasting a little too long for my taste, guys."_

" _Yeah,"_ Clint spoke sarcastically, _"I think we lost the element of surprise."_ You could practically imagine him rolling his eyes as he said this.

A gunman just upside the hill was taking his aim at Winter, the man preparing to shoot when Bucky noticed him. His eyes widened, and without even thinking about it – his own gun was relinquished from its holder against his hip – immediately pointed towards the guy's head – his finger pulled the trigger and the bullet ricocheting through the now dead man's skull. The body dropped with a thud towards the snowy ground.

Winter threw out her tightened fist once more, it harshly connected with the last soldier's face who dared to face up to her skill and strength. He dropped too with a thump, his breathing shallow but strong. He was officially unconscious. She looked up to notice the body upside the hill, Bucky was staring at the dead body with shock running through his veins, his eyes slightly narrowed with hatred towards the man. The guy had tried to kill the woman he loved. No one was going to touch her ever again he swore. He wouldn't let her life fall through his fingers again, he couldn't.

Winter blinked, thankful and relieved but also unsure at the same time. "Thanks." She muttered to herself, realising what he had just done for her – if he hadn't shot the man, she'd probably be the one with a bullet in the head. She had magnificent healing powers, but, a bullet to the head sounded a little too far stretched to live through.

Bucky heard the sound of her unsure voice, turning towards her – the glaring now thrown aside. He started to open his mouth to say something to her but Tony's interrupted him, what a pain in the ass this man was...

" _Wait a second!"_ Tony exclaimed, bringing everyone's attention to him. _"_ _Is no one else going to deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?"_

" _I know,"_ Steve replied, you could tell from his voice that he was probably huffing to himself at his mistake – he should have stopped himself and now he'll probably be the mockery of the day. _"It just slipped out."_

Winter rolled her eyes out of blue, "You were always the goody-too-shoes in the relationship, Stevie." She quirked, not noticing the small grin forming on Bucky's face and evidently a similar look appearing on Captain America himself on the other end of the mic. After a moment, she started to stare down at one of many bodies in front of her. She had killed them. She had killed pretty much most of these soldiers who were just trying to fight for what they believe in – it was Bucky who just tried to hurt them enough so they couldn't walk again ... or fight. She couldn't help but think how much of a monster she was – what she had become after all these years…

Bucky sighed, looking around at all the dead or wounded bodies of the Hydra agents – there were so many it was completely devastating to witness and commit. He turned to the woman he loved, frowning when he saw the blank look on her face. "We should head back to the others," He started, jolting her out of whatever thinking space she had been in. "Help them out, I think we're about good in this sector."

Winter blinked, turning away from the bodies towards him, "Yes." She nodded after another moment of thought, "They need us." She said with a determined manner. The Winter Soldier still felt the need to prove herself on the field, whether she needed to or not was another matter. She turned to him this time, "Is the bike broken?" She wondered, gesturing over to the motorcycle they had ridden in on – the one that looked similar to Steve's. It had taken some getting used to, riding on it, but she actually found an interest in these bikes – they were electrical or well, gas powered and fast. That was something that really seemed to peak at her interest.

Bucky cringed looking at his beloved bike that harbored a massive dent in the side, "Ahh." He pursed his lips, looking at the machine sadly, "That's a big mark." He started moving towards it, his shoulders hunching as he did – this bike had been with him since he was removed from the ice – he desperately and silently hoped Stark could fix it for him after this fight was over.

Winter was about to open her mouth, nearly going to ask why this particular bike was so cared for when there seemed to be hundreds of them out there as it was. But a piece of movement caught her eye towards the right, and without even realising it her eyes were widening in horror – a screamed name hallowing from her throat, "JAMES!" Her voice only came out as a blast of hot energy was fired towards Bucky, she felt the urge to move but her legs just didn't seem to understand the command.

Bucky's head was startled upwards as his real name being shouted, he didn't even begin to comprehend that _Winter_ had been the one to his name out until something toasty like hot lava smashed against his shoulder, slivering up towards his neck – the heat ripped through the fabrics of his uniform and connected with his skin like a hot boil. He could practically feel his skin instantly cooking at the temperature – he fell backwards with a strangled gasp, his breathing deepening with pain.

As he toppled to the floor, Winter's legs finally seemed to regain their consciousness – she skidded towards Bucky's shield still lying in the snow and without a second thought, she flung it towards the large shooting machine that hurt her man. The energy tank blew to smithereens on impact at the force, she had literally thrown the rounded plate close to lightning speed before the impact.

A groan behind her made the attention snap back to the injured man lying on the floor – Bucky was lying there with shock in his eyes, he had never been this hurt before. His skin was burning alive and it was nearly killing his nervous system. She quickly skidded her way back to him, and with her heightened instincts, she grabbed something from one of her back pockets – a small first aid damage kit. Everyone had one them just in case. She ripped it open without even seeing the damages first, but when she did – let's just say that she felt something else that had never even crossed her thought patterns before. A bubbling fear that Bucky wasn't going to make it crawled its way into her heart. There was a gaping hole in this shoulder, a small part missing from the skin of his neck too. The look of it actually made her want to throw up, this had never happened either.

"You're going to be okay." She shakily told him, her voice had never sounded so bad before – she hadn't even realised that a layer of salty water had begun to appear against her pupils. "Y-You're going to be fine." She grabbed an injection needle with a clear liquid rolling around inside before plunging it into the side of his neck that wasn't torn through.

Bucky's eyes were fluttering, his eyes blearily looking towards her through the pain – his heart constricted seeing her face. She looked so much like her, but she was so much not like her at the same time. "Y-You c-called me J-James." He stuttered, his words coming out with several stuttered breaths.

Winter swallowed as the remembrance of what she called him came back to her. She ripped open some kind of cream that numbed wounds – she started to dab the substance around the wound on his shoulder with shaky hands. She tapped the side of her earpiece, turning it on, "Bucky's hurt, bad – he needs immediate assistance. I repeat. Immediate assistance." She didn't even realise how fearful her voice sounded, she didn't even realise how much she mirrored Avery Rogers at that moment.

Bucky's hand jumped on her own, the one that was about to place a large sterile patch on his shoulder. "Avery…" He breathed, pain radiating off him in waves. Darkness was starting to fill his vision, he could feel himself slipping away.

Winter licked her lips nervously, "Yeah." She let out a large breath, her shoulders heaving down for some reason. If anyone was to look at her right now, someone who wasn't Bucky – they would have thought acceptance radiated off her. Like she had accepted the name … but no one was there to witness this, so no one will ever really know sooner rather than later this time. No one will realise what she had finally figured out about herself. A tear finally made its way down her cheek as she looked down at him – still kneeling by his side, holding his hand with a comforting grip.

Bucky's eyes fluttered a little more and they started to slowly close. "I-I l-love y-ou…" With that, his eyes closed as the darkness finally took him. Right then, Winter knew the medicine was now working. Stark's substance keeps the body alive and the mind asleep until it can be repaired, adding that to Bucky's already heightened strains of DNA makes the injection a bonus.

Winter tapped the com again, "We need an E-Vac, now!" She ordered, not letting go of Bucky's hand – her heart beating a mile a minute as she gazed down at the dark-haired American hero.

So many things were beginning to riddle around in her head … hundreds of things were running through her mind. Winter could literally feel something snapping inside of her, something she hoped was good. That headache was coming back, the ones she used to get when memories were fluttering back into existence. She just hoped this would be over soon … she wanted to be real again, she wanted to be one person and one person only. But, that was the person she didn't know who to be anymore.

Darkness finally filled her consciousness and just as the E-Vac's were arriving … her eyes rolled to the back of her head, passing out as her body flopped to the side. Her hand was still in Bucky's but they were lying next to each other … who knows what will happen when either one will wake up.

 **Note: Thank goodness I finally got the time to get this done for you guys. I really hoped you liked it. And no, no one will die … so far… oooh, cliff hanger.**

 **Anyway. Follow, Fav and Reviews, please. I might even be able to get the next chapter up within a few hours. Let's pray I can get it done.**


	4. Remember me, Avery Rogers

**And here it is: special dedications for this chapter go to…**

 **Grace Brennan [Quotev] x2**

 **Nikki_letts [Wattpad]**

 **Cow-Lover2214 [Fanfiction]**

 **Well done and thank you so much for helping me, the dedication is well deserved. If you haven't seen your name, you should see it in the next chapter along with your idea. If you've had some kind of message from me, then you should have a dedication towards you.**

 **In this chapter, and the next we'll be getting more into both Ava and Winter's past, something of which we haven't really explored through either book apart from maybe three to four small flashbacks. I will say this, I have no idea what age Steve was supposed to be when he was a midget so I'm going with 24 so Ava is too (in 1945!).**

 **You'll get to see a lot of scenes from the past and most of it was created by you guys so great job everyone! Anyway, here we are and I hope you love the turnout…**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Remember Me, Avery Rogers…**

 **x- Inside Avery's head –x**

 _ **1930 - 9 Years Old**_

"Steve…" Avery whined, pushing her brother in the shoulder. She was bored. Both their parents were out at some kind of party and they weren't allowed to go – not that the twins really wanted to anyway. She just wanted something interesting to do ... like maybe, go outside? "Stevie!" She pushed him once more, trying to get him to quit reading those stupid books of his. They were about superheroes saving people in some country, she didn't really care what it was and all she wanted to do was play with her twin.

Steve groaned, looking up to his older twin from his bed. She had barged in, again. He was annoyed, wasn't she supposed to be the more responsible and mature twin? Seriously, she's the older one – he should be the one moaning about boredom. "Go away, Ava!" He huffed, going back to reading his book but a flying pillow flew into his face – making him drop it.

Ava stood there with a glare, "Fine, then." She scoffed, looking both hurt and pissed that he didn't want to hang out with his own twin. "Read your damn book and _not_ spend quality time with your only twin." She stood up sharply, crossing her arms around her small frame before sulking out of her brother's room like a little girl. Well, she was one, though, so it didn't really seem all that out of the ordinary.

…

Ava was still sulking with loneliness on the back porch step in their small townhouse in Brooklyn. The sky was dark, you could see stars from miles away – they were beautiful to her. It made her think about what was really out there, not just using her imagination either – she longingly wondered what the future would be like when she grew up, how the world would evolve like her History teacher talked about. The teacher always had many theories and some of them were honestly pretty dumb. But others were really interesting at the same time.

She's never spoken out loud about her wonders; what she really believed – but for the future, she hoped for many things. That diseases would be cured, people would be living what they dreamed as a kid and most of all – maybe life among the stars would be nearer and better than she imagined. She believed there was life out there, but the only thing she didn't know was what to think about it, really … would it be a good idea to actually make contact with supposed beings from another planet?

"Ava?" Her brother's voice called from behind, he sounded a little hesitant. He probably saw how her body was slumped, like the only thing holding her body up was the bent knees in front of her. Ava's small arms were wrapped around her legs, they were pulled to her tightly as she looked up towards the sky – her fingers fiddling with several daisies that had grown in their backyard. She loved flowers ... they were so full of life. The only thing they had to worry about was getting enough sun and water; there was more to life when you're a human being.

Ava glanced over her shoulder, her lips forming a frown – not looking happy. "I thought you were spending quality time with that book of yours, it's all you ever do these days when mom and dad are out."

"It's just a hobby." He shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing what else to say. He loved his sister (she is his other half after all) but sometimes he just needed some time alone to himself; to read. He sat next to her, his head only reaching just below her shoulder. He had always been severely small for his age – he was born with a size defect, one that he didn't even remember what it had been called. Sometimes he envied her for that, sometimes he wished he had been the average size one while she had been the small one. But something told him that being like this was a sign for something, he didn't know what, but he knew it would give him a future. And as crazy as that might sound, he believed it. "And, I pretty much play with you all the time – we hang around together literally all our days, at school … at home. Yeah, we're twins but we need to spread apart a little. To grow."

Ava put on a thoughtful face for a moment before giving in, knowing he was right – he always had been. Her chin slumped into the palm of her hand, "Fine." She grumbled, still not happy about it … but she understood. Maybe she could try to make some friends? Ones that were girl's, maybe?

Suddenly she grinned, tapping Steve on the shoulder out of the blue. "Tag. You're it." She exclaimed, jumping to her feet before running inside the house – about to find a hiding spot where he wouldn't be able to tag her back.

Steve let a chuckle fall through his lips, grinning too in an identical manner. Maybe spending tonight playing wouldn't be so bad? He sprung to his feet, following her in. Determined to catch her this time and win.

* * *

 _ **19** **th** **September, 1932 - 11 Years Old**_

An 11-year-old girl walked hand-in-hand with an older gentleman with very similar features to her own. The two had the same hair and eye colour, the little girl's hazel eyes sparkling in the darkness of the night. This girl was Avery Rogers and the older male was her father, Adrian Rogers. Her father was wearing a nicely made suit, his facial hair shaven and the look of professionalism running through his attire and stature.

They were on their way home from Adrian's company's banquet; he had won the prize for Employee of the year. Juliet Rogers hadn't been able to come this time due to Avery's twin, Steve falling ill with breathing issues. The doctor had recommended him not to be left alone but he also needed bed rest for a couple of days, this was why neither had been able to come. Juliet had insisted that her husband go and accept that reward and take Avery with him. They were also having a rough patch in their marriage too, not that they would ever reveal that to their kids.

"Can I hold it, dad?" Avery asked her father, looking up at him with pleading eyes – wanting to hold the fist-size silver statue in her small child hands. Her father had been with this company for more than twenty years – in fact, it was only yesterday for the anniversary.

Adrian sighed, passing the object to his daughter carefully. "Be careful, dear." He warned her with a light tone. He smiled to himself when he watched her take a hold of it, looking happily at the thing like it was a masterpiece. She didn't even know how he had become Employee of the year – if she found out when she was older, she'd understand how this world really worked. She would be crushed. It was always such a joy to see that happy face of hers and seeing the similar one appear on his son's face too. He felt disheartened that his wife and son couldn't attend the banquet but knew inside that his children's health would always mean more than an award. He placed his palm on her shoulder, keeping his daughter close to him – the atmosphere was dark, they were starting to cross the bad part of town. He never liked his children coming near this place.

Out of nowhere a gunshot filled the air before the air went silent – no birds whistling, no grasshoppers chirping, just … nothing. Ava frowned from her spot, stopping as her father did – what was that sound? "Daddy, what was that?" She wondered out loud – it was something she had never heard before, but when she heard nothing from him, she looked up … but what she saw made her eyes widen with confusion and horror. "Daddy?!" She exclaimed in a small voice, watching as his face whitened and a dribble of blood crawled out of his mouth. There was a bullet hole just above the place where his heart rested. The hand holding her shoulder released from its grip, his body tumbling back to the ground with a thud – he gasped, the pain finally reaching his nervous system.

The statue in Avery's hand fell out of her grasp, smashing to the floor with a shatter.

"Avery…" Adrian gasped, praying his daughter was there and safe – darkness was already starting to take him … he knew what was happening, and it was all his fault. He should have expected this … but why did it have to be now while his daughter was with him?

Ava's bottoms lips wobbled, she seemed to understand what was happening and it started to crush her. "D-Daddy?" Tears began to spring from the corners of her eyes, pouring down the sides of her cheeks. "Daddy, don't leave!" She was the daddy's girl – she needed her father … she prayed to god that he'd be okay but her gut knew that would never happen. Even for an 11-year-old, she was very smart for her age. "Please don't leave me!" She exclaimed, grabbing onto her father's arm, starting to sob as she watched the life fade in her father's eyes.

"You be a good girl, Ava – you hear me?" He told her, his breaths coming out with low stutters. He could feel his life force being sucked away quickly. "Y-You're going to be a g-great person sweetheart, d-don't let anyone else tell you differently."

Ava clung on tighter, "Don't say things like that." She knew what this was – it was one of those goodbye speeches, but she didn't want him to go!

"Don't let them change you, follow your own path." A tear dropped to the ground after draining down the side of his face, he looked towards her with the love of a parent in his eyes – proudness filling them, "I l-love you, my little girl…" And with that, the last of the light that had originally been in his pupils left the world – Ava's breathing came out in gasps and she screamed, her hollow of pain echoing through the night. The grief was unbearable – she was an 11-year-old girl who had witnessed the murder of her own father and it was a murder that had never even been solved – just long forgotten and so had this memory, until now…

…

 _ **26** **rd** **November, 1932 – 1 Week Later**_

Avery stood next to her twin, watching as they lowered her father's casket into the ground – covering the hole with tons of mud and patting it down. She had been completely numb, all she could think was her father's last words running through her head. She honestly didn't know what to think right now – she hadn't told her mother, or Steve for that matter about what he had said to her before dying right before her eyes.

A nudge came from the side on her shoulder, Steve was looking at her with concern in his own twin manner. He knew how much closer she had been to their father than he had been – she had never looked this distant in all their lives. They haven't played together in days … she had hardly even talked during that time either, probably only a few words at the most. He was beginning to worry more than average. "Ava…" His voice riddled with unease towards his other half. "Please, talk." He begged, missing the sound of her voice.

Ava just shook her head, that night playing again in her head – her breathing started coming out heavier as it did, her throat was choking up with tears – she couldn't stop it. Steve reached forwards on instinct, bringing her to him – wrapping his arms around her as she burst into tears. She clutched onto him tightly, so much that it was making it hard to breathe, but he didn't care. His sister needed him and he would always be there for her like she would be for him when he was upset or alone.

He didn't know what had happened but he knew not to push … he just hoped his bubbly twin would be back into shape in no time, maybe she would tell him what happen as they grew up?

* * *

 _ **1937 - 17 Years Old**_

"You can't know that!" Ava insisted, clutching a History book to her chest, walking around the grounds of the school with James Buchanan Barnes (Bucky) as she went next to her.

"Oh," James chuckled, nodding his head in an exaggerated manner. "I so can." He countered. They were debating about how the future will turn out. He knew there would be cool machines in the future like flying cars – something of which he had a feeling that the guy Stark was in the middle of doing. It was all in the newspaper last week after all.

"Uh, no." She said again, not being able to help the grin that formed on her face. The two of them had been hanging out together a lot lately, and she loved it. They've been best friends for over three years so far – Steve had been the one to introduce them. She longed for the guy to ask her out already, but so far it's like he hasn't had any major interest in her yet and this hurt. It hurt more than bad. Like apocalyptic bad.

He held up his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright." He exclaimed, looking amused and they chuckled once again – flopping onto the grassy floor under a tree. He sighed, leaning back on his elbows while Ava laid on her back just staring up at the clear blue sky – her book set aside next to her. "So, what are you doing this weekend?" He asked after a moment, looking a little hesitant.

"Um," She thought about the question for a second before answering, "Probably just laying around at home, doing homework." She shrugged, not looking too excited about the concept but if she wanted that future she dreamed, she would have to work hard to achieve it. And that was something she was okay with.

"Well, um." James began, clearing his throat as he sat up properly – looking towards her. "Would you … would you like to come out with me?" Ava's head snapped up, her eyes and ears ringing with shock. Was he … asking her out? "Would you like to go to that diner around the block, you know, 'Glenn's Garden'?" He shrugged, looking a little shy about the question he was asking. "I know you love it there."

Ava's mouth dropped, her silent gestures making her look like a dying fish in need of water. "You're asking me out?" Her voice coming out with disbelief.

James let out a breath. "Yeah." He nodded, a determined look on his face. "Yeah, I am."

She finally started to smile a little shyly herself, but also streaming with giddiness, "Okay." She nodded, looking happy and excited – these feelings bubbled under her skin like fireworks. "I'd love to." A loud bell rang signally the end of lunch. It didn't bring down her spirit, though, she grinned – pecking a small kiss on James's cheek – her own skin flushed bright red, blushing in against the heated sun. "I'll see you after school." With that, she practically skipped to class – probably looking like a looney as she did. But she didn't care. One of her dreams were coming true.

* * *

 _ **1939 - 19 Years Old**_

"Are you sure about this?" James asked in a worried tone. Already seeing the made-up look plastered on his girlfriend's face. She had been talking about joining the army ever since before graduation; she wanted to help these scientists help make a better future and he got that. He was just worried about their lack of time together. She'll be gone for long periods of time until she got to the stage where she could finally move closer to home. And that was a 6-month duration as it was.

"It'll be fine." Ava insisted, holding her boyfriend's hand in a comforting manner as they walked towards the nearest park. She really wanted to do this – she needed to make herself feel needed in the world. She didn't want to be a normal girl going through life with a script – she wanted to do something with her life, make a good change in the world. And most of all, she wanted her father to be proud of what she had been able to accomplish.

James stopped her walking, turning her towards him – holding up his hands so they now grasped her cheeks gently. He gazed into her eyes, seeing this pure determination – it was something he deeply loved about her. Once her heart was set on something – she would always achieve it. "I don't want you to go." He said selfishly, he wanted her to stay with him for good. Every moment they were apart he felt lonely and depressed, he needed her in his life. If she wasn't, his life didn't really mean anything anymore.

Ava's mouth formed a sad smile, she would miss him dearly too during this time away - just as much as being away from Steve for the first time in their lives would be. But she needed to do this – she needed to get out and explore this world, make it better for their hopeful future together. She couldn't help but think how lucky she was … her dreams were actually coming true, it truly felt unbelievable sometimes. "It's only 6 months." She tried to comfort not only him but also herself. Six months was a long time in her book – it probably was in his too.

James sighed, finally letting go of her cheeks, now just reaching out to hold both her hands against his chest, right beside his heart. "Fine." He finally gave in, shaking his head. But then he groaned, a quirk forming on his lips, "So, what you're telling me is … that I have to put up with your brother on my own for all that time … I'll be dead before you get back." He joked.

Ava chuckled with amusement, "Stevie isn't that bad." She insisted but then cringed, it was only last week that he had found out about their relationship – it was right after finding out that she had been accepted for this opportunity. And boy was Steve shocked. It hadn't exactly been a light way in letting him find out…

 _Avery had a large grin on her face, facing James. "I got it!" She exclaimed, waving around the piece of paper with her acceptance on it. She jumped up and down with exhilaration._

 _James grinned, watching as his girlfriend with excitement. He was stood against the wall, the letter had literally just come in the mail and she couldn't have opened it fast enough._

 _In all the excitement their lips met with a passionate kiss, they groaned into each other's mouth and even James's hands were starting to slide up against the sides of her body – Ava's back hit the hallway wall, their lips still mashing together – forgetting about the world around them._

" _What is all the racket…" The voice drifted and footsteps down the stairs ceased. "AVERY?! BUCKY?!" A familiar voice snapped them sharply from their passionate frenzy – their eyes widening, Bucky jumped away from his girlfriend, effectively bumping into the front door key-table, breaking it as it fell to the floor._

 _Ava and Bucky looked up guiltily towards the stairs, seeing Steve looking between them like a gaping fish – he blinked rapidly, rubbing his hands over his eyes in a furious manner – probably wondering if what he had seen was real. "What the…" He blinked, "You were about to, uh…" Steve's voice cut off, his eyes rolling to the back of his head – passing out._

 _Ava blinked, this time, wondering if what had just happened … really happened. 'Did my brother just faint?' she asked herself in disbelief. 'Oh crap, I'm in trouble when he wakes up…'_

"But seriously…" She continued, gripping his hands tightly with her own – trying to forget about the ways Steve could make her boyfriend pay while she's gone. "…you'll be fine. The two of you will have each other and you can do all those manly things, whatever that's supposed to mean these days." She gave him a kiss, making sure it last more than a couple of seconds. "We'll both be fine…" She whispered so only they could hear the words.

* * *

 _ **1939 - 6 Months Later**_

A slow piece of music was playing from the piano in the corner of the entertainment hall, couples of all ages were dancing together on the dance floor or eating together at a couple's table. Ava had returned, looking a little more weary but happy to be back. James held her in his arms, slowly moving her from side to side with the music – as promised before she left, they were having that date each had promised. Both had missed the other and knew exactly what they were doing later – all they wanted to do was be with each other.

"See," Ava mumbled, her head resting against her lover's shoulder – breathing in his familiar scent, the one she missed so damn much after all this time away. "I said everything would be okay."

James hummed as his chin rested on top of her head, enjoying this moment – he wanted it to last but knew it wouldn't, real life was going to hit them again soon enough, "You were right … you always are." He chuckled, knowing how right that statement was. "I'm just glad your home … and I know Steve is too."

Ava's mouth quirked, "So he didn't try to kill you because of our, uh, little interaction in the hallway." Steve had been a little distant before her leaving – it did hurt but she kind of understood. It's probably going to be a huge shock to find out your sister had been secretly dating your best friend for over two years. Boy, she would be pissed too.

James chuckled, pulling his head away from hers, looking towards her with a shaking head. "Nah." He said, "I tried to set him up with a couple of girls … but none of them seemed to take, though." Shrugging his shoulders, he knew that Ava would want her brother happy – besides, Steve was the closest thing to her he had while she was gone. He needed that connection to stay friends with him.

"He'll find someone." Ava nodded with determination, meeting his gaze. She knew her brother would find the one like she had with James, it was just going to take time. "It's fate and I believe such a thing exists somewhere in this Universe."

* * *

 _ **1944 - Previously brought up in 'Alive but not Awake'**_

Ava's back leaned against Bucky's chest, the field of flowers surrounding them creating a romantic scene as they just sat there in silence, listening to the small birds flying above them and in the lively trees.

She felt Bucky's chin rest on her shoulder beside her ear, "I love you, Avery Lola Rogers." He breathes in her ear – making her giggle as a tickling sensation rounded her neck. Her head turned to him, leaning in her forehead against his so her lips were almost touching his, "I love you too, James Buchanan Barnes." She kissed him.

Bucky broke the kiss as the both returned from each other, gasping for air, "So, are you ready for the surprise?" He asked, a teasing grin plastered on his lips as he caught his breath back.

Ava brought her face away from his slightly with a confused look, "The field and food wasn't the surprise?" She thought it would have been, it's been the best one today so far.

Bucky grinned, "Nope, stand up." He told her as he grabbed her hips gently and hoisted her up onto her feet making her stumble slightly. "I want to do this properly."

Ava chuckled as she balanced herself and turned to him, "Do what exactly?" She asked, suspicious at what he was going to do.

He just stayed silent and brought something out of his jacket pocket, he got down on one knee as he held both of his lover's hands with care. He looked up at her face and he saw her looking shocked, but her eyes were brimming with tears as she realised what was happening.

"Avery Lola Rogers," Bucky began, he looked into her eyes as he spoke – love and adoration pouring out of his own, his heart was beating fast in a nervous anticipation, "Ever since I met you, I've felt a pure connection. The first time I saw you, all I could think about was how beautiful you were, how caring and how honest everything about you was. As the years have gone past – my love for you had both grown and exceeded past anything I would've dreamed in my wildest times." He took a deep breath, "For a long time, I have always imagined being with you and only you for the rest of my life; and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Ava watched as he opened the small box he had gotten from inside his jacket; inside was a beautiful engagement ring. The sun reflected off it with a unique tint as the ball of fire started to lower in the sky.

"Ava," Bucky's voice wavered in hope as he finally got to the point, "Will you marry me?"

Warm and salty tears fell down the side of her cheeks as her head nodded in a 'Yes' gesture, her voice unable to work as another one of her dreams just came true.

* * *

 _ **1945 - 24 Years Old**_

Steve, Bucky, and Ava were standing upon the edge of a snowy cliff next to a zip wire connected to an opposite mountain, above a train track – one of which Dr. Zola would be passing any minute.

Bucky pulled Ava aside quickly – knowing they didn't have much time left until the mission was to begin, "Ava." He started, fear for her safety evident in his tone. "Are you sure about this?" Yes, she had been granted permission to join them because of her excelled training and weaponry skills. But he still had the right to be at least fearful for her life. He couldn't lose her; they were engaged to be married, they were going to spend the rest of their lives together when this was all over. He wanted all three of them to have long happy lives after this – they've done enough fighting for their country, it's about time they rest and work on their own futures, not the worlds.

"I'll be fine," Ava told him, feeling like it had been the hundredth time she's had said it already. "We'll all be fine." She didn't have any doubts or regrets about joining – she would have felt guilty for not going if she were to stay behind, she wasn't about to let her boys risk their lives without her. All for one or not at all. She kissed him, pulling back with a smile. "Trust me, everything will turn out okay."

Oh, how wrong she was…

 **Note: As I said in the note above, this is going to be a two-parter because of a number of ideas I now have. This chapter had all of Ava's memories, the next will contain Winter and hers. Again, if you have any more ideas you'd like to share (for just Winter now), let me know and if I like them, I'll dedicate the next chapter to you like I have done for this one.**

 **Fav, Follow, Review…**


	5. Remember me, Winter Soldier

**Chapter Dedications…**

 **ForeverAMaiden [Fanfiction]**

 **Kiara Rosebud {Similar Idea} [Quotev]**

 **BTW_Its_Kiera [Wattpad]**

 **Okay, so this will have a little Ava in it to begin with both from flashbacks for Winter and her process into becoming Winter at the start. I hope you like this, after this chapter it'll go back to the movie.**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Remember me, Winter Soldier**

 **x- Inside Winter's Head -x**

 **1941 [Hours after she fell from the train] – Previously on 'Alive but not Awake'**

Ava's hazel-nut eyes snapped open in panic, she could feel the thick lining of sweat pouring down her face – her breathing was shallow as she felt no pain surging through her own body, only numbness. Rolling her numb head to the side she caught sight of dozens of surgical equipment and machines near where she was lying. Was she in a hospital? Did she actually manage to survive that fall? She thought to herself, blinking rapidly to rid the bleariness from her vision.

"Steve…" She whispered hoarsely, but her tongue felt like lead. Her words slurred at they flowed out of her mouth, "Bucky…" She got no reply, she felt tears sting her eyelids as she closed them to blink them away – needing to be strong no matter what. She willed for Steve and Bucky to come in at any moment, tell her everything would be okay and that she would be fine; but she didn't even know where she was or how she was alive. She couldn't remember how she got there; why could she remember falling from a train, why was she in a medical room? Where was everyone?

Ava felt slight relief rise up in her heart as she felt her body starting to come back to life. She noticed that her body felt tied to the table that she was currently lying on, but instantly she started to feel sick when she looked at her left arm. Her breathing quickened in panic and horror, her whole left arm looked like it had been ripped off – she wanted to puke but something was stopping her from doing so. Ava started to beg silently in her head; that all this show was just a dream, that she was somewhere in one of the base camps; safe and under a high-density medicine that was causing her to hallucinate while being under.

"Steve!" She shouted, louder than before but feeling a tear fall on her paled cheek. "Bucky!" She heard footsteps coming towards her from outside the metal door connecting her room to a hallway. "I'm in here!" She cried, begging for someone to save her – she was pretty sure that whoever had her, were no friends of hers. She heard the lock of the door open, making her head tilt upwards slightly but not too far so her neck would be strained too much. Ava felt the makings of a huge headache coming on.

Ava felt her eyes widen in fear as she felt trapped, suddenly wishing she was still under whatever drugs that kept her asleep. Standing in the doorway was one of the men she despised the most, Dr. Zola. "Ah, Miss Avery Rogers." Dr. Zola spoke, his accent becoming prominent as his smirk widened at her discomfort. "Welcome back," He greeted, looking at Ava like she was a piece of meat, "You know, it wasn't nice of your brother and boyfriend to take you away so soon." He placed a thoughtful look on his face, still holding the menacing feeling of doom for Ava, "However, I feel as if it were the best choice – now we will be able to give you an extra ability to fill that missing arm of yours."

Ava gritted her teeth, wanting to punch the guy in the face – she had no idea what he did to her before Steve and Bucky got to her, but something didn't feel settling in her stomach, "What are you doing to me?!" She demanded, clenching her right fist as she got the feeling back in it, "Why am I here?"

Zola's smirk became wider, "You will be our greatest weapon, Miss Avery." He told her, he pressed a small red button on one of the side tables, "You will serve Hydra to the best of your abilities when we are done with the reconstruction."

"Only Steve and Bucky get to call me that, now let me go!" She yelled at him, trying to budge out of the binds that were holding her down but there was no use – there was no way she had enough energy to get out of there or even fight the weasel.

Zola tutted her with his tongue against the roof of his mouth, shaking his head in mock disappointment, "Oh, Avery. They won't be coming for you." Ava shook her head not believing him, "But, no matter. By the time we're finished with you, you'll want to kill them with more than pure vengeance." His chuckle sounded hollow and cold - like he knew there was nothing standing in the way. He would carry out his original plan for Ava Rogers and make damn sure that those two boys would pay for what they did to Hydra. Their plan would succeed in the positive future of the world.

The metal door opened once again and 9 different people started to pile in. Ava's heart started to race, feeling dread and desperation of just wanting to go home to Bucky and her twin turn back up to a high level. Zola turned to them, "Let us proceed." The people started to file around Ava, who laid struggling in her current position.

"No…" Ava whispered as someone injected her with a clear blue liquid into her forearm, she felt ice fill her veins as her vision started to darken. She vaguely heard Zola say, "Goodbye, Miss Avery." His cold voice sounded miles away as Ava's eyes closed, her head flopping to the side – looking dead to the world again as the scientists began to work on their true weapon.

* * *

 **1949 – Experimentation**

"Stop it … please." Avery begged as another jolt of electricity flowed through her veins, her eyelids drooping as the energy continued to blast through her. She was strapped to a chair, something fastened around her head with a tight hold – her hands and feet were bound to the arms and legs of the seat, preventing her from making any attempt at an escape … but even then, there was no way out. Tear stains were evident on her face, sweat poured against her skin and seeped into her tattered clothing.

Four years and still, no help has come. Hope was fading from her grasp, she knew that if anyone was looking for her, she would have been found by now. She couldn't help but feel betrayed by everyone she's known … her brother and James being the main people. They should have known that if her body wasn't where it dropped that she could still be alive. But still, no rescue had come. For four years and counting, she had been subjected to experiments after experiments – she officially knew what a rat felt like in its position and she sympathized greatly.

The scariest part about being stuck here – Hydra was finding ways to wipe her memory, or at least alter it, also stopping her growth so that she was to stay 27 forever until she was to eventually die from a battle. This was what frightened her the most. They were also trying to figure out ways for her memories to be shifted into lies – after overhearing one of Zola's conversations, he wanted her to hate the American heroes. Her love and brother. Another traitor tear fell from the crook of her cheek when she pictured her two boys, imagined them bursting through those titanium doors and whisking her away from this place.

Another thing, she could actually feel herself slipping away – anger and other terrible emotions were starting to hound on her. It was beginning to frighten her that these people might actually succeed before she's rescued ... if that day was to ever come.

Suddenly she gasped, the energy ceasing under her skin – her body jerked, she felt like crying but she tried her best not to – she needed to be strong, she wouldn't break.

"Ah, good news Miss Avery." Dr. Zola appeared in the door frame, entering and telling the experimentalist to leave them alone for a moment. He had a smug grin plastered on his face.

Ava gritted her teeth, her fists clenching the best she could. "What." She spat, imagining herself wringing her hands around his fat neck – choking him to death until his eyes popped out of his skull.

"Wonderful," He grinned menacingly, noticing that violent look casting in her eyes, "The new solution is working – why I never tried this before is beyond me. Maybe I'm just a little too stubborn for my own good, well, you'd know all about that wouldn't you?" He smirked, "But then, he probably never imagined his creation would be used on his own daughter, did he?"

Ava looked towards him with a confused look, but her features were shifting to anger when his assumption was starting to come to her in full – was he saying?... "What the hell are you talking about?!" She demanded an answer. A truthful one.

He leaned over, his hands placed on the sides of the chair's arms just above her tied up ones. His face was less than a foot from her, it was close enough that you could see his toxic breath – it smelled like stale milk and dried up bread. "Didn't you ever wonder who your father actually worked for? … _Why_ he actually died?"

Ava was silent, her brain racking around trying to find a simple and truthful answer for her long dead father. "He was some kind of inventor." She replied, hating that she sounded so unsure about her answer – she never really did try to find out anything after he died, she had been too young to even do anything helpful. "My father died by an idiot with a gun."

Dr. Zola clicked with his mouth and tongue, shaking his head with disappointment. "Oh, no." He denied, looking mournful but everyone knew it was a fake look. "We were the ones to take him out – he was becoming such a nuisance you see. He had the answers we needed, which he wouldn't give of course – let's just say he was more of a burden that needed to be thrown away."

Tears sprung against her pupils again. "You … killed my dad?" Anger brewed under the surface, shifting into a rage. The newly attached metal arm was jumping with action and rage … if only she could put in a little bit more strength – she could smash his head into a wall and escape.

"Well, not me to be exact. But, yes. It was Hydra that disposed of your father – what a tragedy it was. It was actually how we found you, we planned this all before you even hit puberty." He said in a sarcastic manner, still looking painfully smug. "Your father was simply a bastard that needed to be put down."

That was it. Something snapped in Ava, the metal arm snapped through its ties and her eyes were set on Zola – a feeling inside of her that had never come out before, something she had never felt before – she wanted to kill … and Zola was going to be her first victim of the night. Her metal arm squeezed his windpipe tighter, and tighter … until her fantasy came true. His eyes literally popped out of his head while his body remained black and blue, body pieces scattered around the room.

This was the night that Dr. Zola's body died – although, his mind did remain on a computer. And this was the last day Ava had ever retained anything of herself left – the day she was wiped clean from her past and present, this was the day she became 'The Winter Soldier'.

* * *

 **1987 – The First Mission Gone Bad**

" _Your mission is…"_

Standing upon a hill that overlooked a small town was a woman, but this wasn't just any woman. She was _the_ woman, Hydra's weapon of pure destruction. Thirty-eight years later and she was already rumored around several parts of the world, America being the main place of topic. This woman was named, 'The Winter Soldier'.

The Winter Soldier had long hair as dark as coal, smears of pasted grit smudged around her eyes to hide at least part of her identity – Hydra didn't tell her who she used to be, but this was something that was kept secret and will always be kept secret. They didn't want anyone to recognize her, not that someone would anyway unless they were Captain America or Lieutenant America, or one of their fanatics. But even then, it was unlikely to happen - the girl she used to be was considered and claimed dead – no body left to be found and was eaten by scavengers of buried under layers upon layers of thick snow.

This woman was nearly emotionless; for nearly forty years so far she had been under the influence of Hydra and she hasn't aged a day. She had been spending a vast amount of time in the coma chamber but even then, she still didn't look a day older than when she first started. Hydra's plan was working – she was beginning to be the exact weapon they hoped for in their secret strategy for the future.

But the reason she was here today; was to complete a mission. Every time she was given a mission – she was told to complete it without remorse, without guilt and without shame. She simply wasn't allowed to feel anything, so they trained her to shut these emotions out, among others, hidden within another part of her head where they couldn't be touched. This is why it took eight years until she was ready to go out by herself, until she could be trusted not to sway away from her duties. Her mind had been warped and manipulated; controlled in a way where nothing of the old her would come crashing back in, wanting it's the body back. Hydra was making sure that Winter would be staying in that body – it was just an added bonus that Ava's memories weren't fighting back – they assumed it was because her two precious boys were dead, something of which had been said to her at one point after killing Zola.

CRASH.

A door from a small detached house flew off from its hinges, you could hear the piece of wood smacking into a nearby wall, probably one of the hallway ones. A small girl's scream echoed through the house at the loud sound, frightfulness filling it to the brim.

Winter stepped through the threshold with a large gun held in her hands, moving past the rubble without even a glance to make sure she wasn't stepping on any herself. Dust from the construction material stuck to her black suit like glue – her long hair was tied into a long loose braid to avoid it getting in her face as she worked.

She could hear movement coming from the living room area. She tilted her head and listened carefully, she could carefully hear two breathing patterns with her enhanced hearing. Her metal arm clenched with anticipation, she loved the feeling to kill – this was also the other thing Hydra made sure to do, they knew that the more she loved to kill, the less likely she was to skip out on them and go rouge. They provided her with action and identity secrecy, what more could she possibly ask for?

When she entered, she saw a man with long shaggy hair that looked uncut for years. He wore round glasses, his skin was pale and sickly looking – his body was shaking, he was scared. Behind him was someone significantly smaller than himself, it was a little girl maybe 5 years old. Winter noticed the little girl but paid no attention to her, she continued to stare at the man – he was the target. And he knew it, the fear was written all over his face. He silently wished his daughter was away from this place, she was going to be scarred for life if he were to die right then and there.

"Just leave her out of it." He begged, tears running down his face, keeping his little girl behind him away from the gun that was now pointed at him. "She's just a little girl, she's done nothing. It's me you want." He should have known his employers would have known about what he was planning to do – he shouldn't have done it. His mistake was going leave his daughter an orphan.

Winter didn't reply, she didn't even blink – she had no care for the girl, she could be with her father until her dying breath for all she cared. But he was the mission – and she intended to complete it just like with every other one she's been assigned.

BANG.

A shot rang out, a scream from the little girl followed straight after. The man staggered, a gasp running out of his mouth – pain ratcheted through his body as it tumbled to the ground, and with the best effort he could, he stopped himself from falling on his little girl. Winter watched as the man's breath ceased within less than a minute, much quicker than her previous victims had done in the past. She was about to step forwards, to finish off the girl before reporting back - but a sobbed call stopped her in her place.

"Daddy?!" The little girl screamed, shaking her father – she was sobbing her poor little heart out with pain, her eyes were widened in horror as her small frame crumpled beside his own body. She watched as her father drifted away from her, her daddy was dying. The little girl had hardwood-colored hair, her skin pale with spotted freckles surrounding her cheeks and she wore a tiny flowered dress that was now covered with splatters of her father's blood. "Daddy?! Please wake up, don't leave me, Daddy!" She cried, clutching her father's arm tightly, begging him to wake up and take her away from this place … away from the scary lady. "Daddy?!"

Winter's vision suddenly went dark where she stood, it's like she had no control over her body.

 _Ava's bottoms lips wobbled, she seemed to understand what was happening and it started to crush her. "D-Daddy?" Tears began to spring from the corners of her eyes, pouring down the sides of her cheeks. "Daddy, don't leave!" She was the daddy's girl – she needed her father … she prayed to god that he'd be okay but her gut knew that would never happen. Even for an 11-year-old, she was very smart for her age. "Please don't leave me!" She exclaimed, grabbing onto her father's arm, starting to sob as she watched the life fade in her father's eyes._

Winter stumbled back from this, a gasp coming out of her throat. Her eyes blinked in confusion, she looked around at her surroundings, feeling out of place and different at the same time. "What the hell was that?" She growled to herself, feeling the pain fly away as her consciousness fully returned. She found herself leaning against the wall, her gun had fallen to the floor during her moment of darkness.

"You hurt my Daddy!" The little girl screamed, glaring at the dark-haired woman who looked drunk on her feet.

This made Winter look back up, looking to her with something along the lines of uncertainty, but unknowing. 'Where was she?' She asked herself, 'What happened?' Everything started coming back now, she was here to complete a mission. But, isn't that what she's just completed? Why had she felt the need to kill the girl? She was just a child.

Forgetting about her gun, she just stared at the girl, "What's your name?"

The small girl sobbed more, "Kathy." She sniffed, burying her head into her father's chest. "I want my Daddy back!"

"He had to die." Winter's bluntly replied, not looking sorry again – but she continued to stare at the girl with an emotion unknown to her. "I'm Winter."

"Why?" Kathy's bottom lip wobbled in her attempt to stop herself from crying. She didn't understand any of this, why wasn't her daddy up and giving her those hugs she loved when she got scared.

Winter didn't have an answer, "I'm not sure." She told the little girl with a pinch of uncertainty in her voice, "I just do as I'm told. I complete a mission and then report back." She didn't know why she started talking to the girl but something inside of her was telling her to. That flashback came back to her; who was this Ava and that older man? "I must go." She told the girl, "Keep hidden, they won't find you if you run. Pretend you were never here." She instructed. She bent down to get her gun, quickly leaving the site before anything else were to happen.

But all that ran through her mind was … what was that flash? Why hadn't she killed that girl, when she had been so determined to do the deed beforehand?

And there was one thing she knew for sure; something inside of her was telling her not to report this incident, it meant nothing so it was going to stay nothing.

…

Over the next ten years more events like this occurred, but as time went on, she began to get more and more of those visions. One of another girl that looked like her, and soon after that she began to remember a dark-haired boy along with another that looked very much like herself. A lot of confusion was appearing because of this, she really didn't know what to think anymore.

It wasn't until she decided to act and try and find information about herself. Questions and more questions kept bugging her, so she used her training to spy on the individuals at Hydra the best she could – and at one point, she even slipped into the computer room that stored every piece of juicy information.

This was when she found out the real truth of who she was, how much of a monster she had become. Everything was written down on paper and locked up in a computer. But unfortunately, this access to all the information and memories only lasted a few hours – Hydra found out and did the only thing they could really do, and that was to wipe her clean several times for good-measure. After this, she had no more episodes, no incidents where she let people escape the wrath of Hydra.

She became that emotionless soldier they needed again.

* * *

 **1992\. The KGB**

"Again." Madam B barked, her posture tightened with her hands tied behind her back. She was a middle-aged blonde woman with a stink of death surrounding her aura. Twelve girls between the ages of 13-16 were dancing ballet, this was part of their training – this was one of their many ways to break the breakable girls.

Next to her was Winter, she was there to train the girls who passed the first stages of testing – the soldier was to show and make these girls into the ultimate spies. Winter stood there to the side, leaning against the window – she watched the girls kneeling on the floor, on the other side of the room. These were the new set of girls to be broken – she assessed them all individually in her mind.

All of them were shaking, looking fearful but one girl, in particular, stood out to her. The only 10-year-old had long red hair with pale skin, she was small but she held her head up high and Winter instantly knew right then, this girl had a fighting spirit. Something a spy certainly needed to survive.

Madam B slowly walked over to the Winter Soldier, looking highly upon the magnificent creation of Hydra's work. They were partners you see, sometimes they would provide the girls for some of their missions but even then, none of these girls compared to this magnificently constructed woman. The Winter solider was the ultimate spy and fighter, something she wished all her girls were to possess. "Do any of them stand out to your liking?" She inquired, her eyes flicking through the scared little girls in a line.

"The one with red hair." Winter tilted her head towards the little girl in question, "She'll make it. She's the one."

Madam B slowly grinned, smirking slightly. "Wonderful." She crowned, looking pleased. "She'll get more extensive training and we'll push her even harder than the others; I'm sure she'll make a magnificent spy for Hydra." Yes, Hydra were looking for an extra solider in their ranks. It was the other reason why Winter was there, she was to train this girl into becoming like her – so that she could have a partner to cover her behind on the trickier missions. The metal arm wasn't becoming a help sometimes either, especially when all this new technology was being discovered. They needed someone to watch their prized possession's back – they needed to make sure 'The Winter Soldier' was alive forever to continue their legacy … and plan.

…

 **2000**

Eight years later and it had indeed come true, the little redhead was the only one of the group to make it past the initial tests and every other one after that. The others were killed off during the 'fight-to-the-death' battles that were held once a month. This little redhead was no longer little, though, she had grown into a woman's body and more muscular thanks to her daily training. Natalia Romanov was her name. Her hair was brighter than before but shorter, now it reached just below her shoulder whereas before, it had stretched down to the middle of her back.

"Come on, Natalia." Winter scolded, finishing their practice fight with her arms wrapped around the 18 year old's neck in a snapping grip. "You know this." She had been working on building up Natalia's killing potential over the eight years period. There had been a bit too much hesitation when they first started, but luckily the younger girl was beginning to get over it. If it wasn't for her insisting that the redhead could win this next fights, Natalia would be no more by now. She didn't know why, but she felt some kind of bond with her – a protective bond … but that could be because she's still just a child.

Natalia maneuvered herself out of the grip while Winter lets go slowly. "I'm sorry." She shook her head dejectedly. She was trying, but it was hard – being a spy sounded great but this wasn't what she had in mind, she was trapped in this place. Winter was the only one she really talked to; the other girls were always being killed off like flies so it was no point in mingling with them.

"No apologizing, it's a sign of weakness."

The red head moved over to the bench in the corner, she sat down on it, looking upset and a little scared. "I'm never going to beat this test tomorrow." Madam B had told her of the next test – it was to take down a fully grown man – killing him. Yes, she was a hundred times stronger than when she first started but this guy was double her age and twice her strength. She didn't want to die. "You'll win." The soldier told her with confidence, kneeling in front of her with a spark of comfort flashing in her eye. "You always do – just as we planned. After this, you'll be free of this place, you'll be with me."

She had let Natalia in on what was planned. Originally, it was planned that the two of them would be joining up to go on missions together – but all that changed a couple of years ago. Winter's trust had begun to waver from Hydra and the KGB, being around all these girls being killed off had begun to take some kind of toll on her – and this protective feeling for Natalia just kept getting stronger.

Natalia looked up to her, a tear in her eye and her voice broke as she spoke, "But even if I win this – the graduation ceremony…" She didn't want to go through with it, she was honestly scared.

 _Ava started breathing harder, panic settling in upon seeing the silver knife inches away from her lower stomach. "No, no, no." She begged, tears falling down the side of her place. "P-Please, don't. I-I'll do anything, I swear." Her voice broke, trying to suck in her stomach even though very little good will be gotten out of it._

" _It is necessary." The doctor told her with a firm voice, smirking a little at the side of his mouth. "The KGB have the right idea in their hundreds of years' experience in training little girl spies, it's only fair you get to graduate too."_

 _Another doctor came over with a large needle, injecting a vast amount of freezing liquid into her bloodstream – her eyes began to feel heavier, she tried her best to stay awake and fight, but her body was rejecting her notion. "No…" Her last word was filled with desperation, realizing what she was about to lose forever._

Winter blinked away the vision with a hidden tear, she had been having so many lately – especially this one. It's another one of the reasons she was leaving Hydra and all of this behind with Natalia by her side. The girl felt like some kind of daughter or for her, as stupid as that sounded coming from a monster herself - but this felt real. She was going to save this girl from her fate, and that was a promise. "It won't happen to you … I'll make sure of it." She formed a silent plan in her head, she just hoped it would work out in their favor.

…

The next day came quickly for Natalia and everything the opposite happened; Winter was gone, she had disappeared. When the woman never showed up, she began to worry that something terrible had happened. And when Madam B said Winter had to leave, she said this with a cold-stone smile, she knew something really bad had happened then. And at that point, she knew that she'll never be getting out of here, she would never be seeing the woman who acted somewhat like a sister or mother again. And she'd have to go through with the Graduation ceremony as originally planned, something that terrified her to the core.

This was the day she stopped believing in hope and God. Until the day she met the world's mightiest heroes and became one herself.

* * *

 **A Few Days After Being Found by Bucky and Steve…**

" _The rest of the Avenger's want to meet you…"_

When this day came, it didn't exactly go as smoothly as Steve and Bucky had hoped. Stark was his usual cocky self, ramping up Winter's agitation level by calling her 'Little Rogers' all the time. Clint gave her a wary side-glance, his hand fidgeting over the bow and arrows settled in his arms - ready for some action. Natasha looked shifty yet worried, something seemed to be troubling her greatly about meeting this long-lost person in Steve and Bucky's life. Bruce was probably the calmest about the introductions as anyone else, he laid back on the couch without a care. He considered himself a monster so it didn't exactly get to him about all the things Winter had done in the past. Thor had his hand clutched to the hammer with a vice grip, hearing stories at what this 'Winter Soldier' had done in the past. In fact, all of them had been discussing her in secret over for the past couple of hours while she had been sitting up in her mini-apartment, given to her by Tony Stark.

Steve and Bucky were their usual selves, between them, they had tried to get the others to at least meet and eventually accept her no matter what she had done in the past. The others don't fully know what was found out apart from Natasha, but it was worth a shot. They wanted their Ava back and this would help, especially when this version of Ava liked to fight battles as it seems.

All heads shot up when Winter entered the room; she looked at them blankly but eyed all the weapons suspiciously, she unconsciously tensed her well-used muscles, knowing that if a fight were to break out - she'd be ready. She wore her uniform still but it was cleaned last night, her hair fell down her back in waves.

Steve stood up, rubbing his palms against his thighs nervously. "Uh, guys. This is Av-, uh, Winter. This is Winter." Changing the name quickly as a small glare was sent his way.

Thor was the first to speak up, "Many things have been said about you, Miss Winter." His voice boomed loudly, his tone filled with his usual godly confidence. "I am Thor. God of Thunder and Son of Odin. A pleasure to meet a fellow warrior like myself." He nodded to her.

"Clint Barton." The bow man gave her a mock salute from his seat, not sure if he should be courteous or not. "Also known as Hawkeye."

"Bruce Banner." The man with an old looked to him gave a small wave towards her.

Winter tilted her head towards him with recognition, "You're that big green guy." She said out loud.

"Ah." Bruce murmured, looking uncomfortable again as he sighed, "Yeah, The Hulk. That's me with terrible anger issues."

Tony leaned himself against a table with a cocky grin plastered on his lips, fiddling with a handmade device in his hands. "Well, everyone already knows me. You've probably seen me a hundred times in your travels over the years."

Winter raised an eyebrow to him, "And that is?" She questioned, not recognizing him really. He was somewhat familiar but nothing came to mind. Her short question earned a snort from several of the Avengers, everyone expect from Thor who gave a small grin and Natasha who just watched her with a blank face - her features now varying between several different emotions.

"You mean, you recognize 'The Jolly Green Giant' … but not me?" Tony gasped in horror, seeing no recognition from Winter's face. She was telling the truth, she didn't know who he was. The Playboy Billionaire has met his match. "I'm Tony Stark - and you better remember it from now on." He said with a stern tone, looking playfully hurt beforehand.

Winter just gave him a sarcastic smile, not looking happy about the comment, "No promises. Seems like I can't remember much these days apparently."

"You'll remember." Bucky insisted, moving beside her. But out of instinct, Winter shuffled away from him slightly - not appreciating the closeness between them. She didn't see his face drop with sadness as she stared at the redhead sitting on her own behind Clint in a wooden chair. Not having introduced herself yet.

Natasha was just staring at her with mixed emotions. Inside her head, her mind was reeling in a furious cycle. This woman - it was her. It's the Winter she knew as a child; it's been nearly 15 years. After all this time ... she's been alive. When she was shot by this 'Winter Soldier' when protecting that engineer, she had originally thought it had been a coincidence but a part of her knew differently. The Winter Soldier always had a mask on so she could never know for sure, but now … This Winter, or Avery Rogers, was the woman who acted somewhat like a guardian or mother during her time at the KGB. Her heart crushed inside when she saw no recognition from Winter when the woman looked to her - this must be what Bucky and Steve were feeling. Winter had been the closest thing to a mother or sister she had ever had - she always secretly wondered what happened to her. Now she knew.

"Nat?" Clint's voice was troubled, probably when he saw her face pale several degrees. It was only then that the redhead realized everyone was staring at her.

But she didn't look away from Winter. "You left me." She said, not realizing she had actually spoke out loud.

Winter was as confused as the rest of them. She raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

Natasha swallowed hardly, "You don't recognize me?!" Feeling a little venom crawl up in her tone.

The soldier frowned, looking the redhead up and down skeptically. "No." She shook her head. "Should I?" Her eyebrow cocked again.

Steve thought about what she could mean, but then realized how they had been attached to the idea of 'The Winter Soldier' being involved all those months ago. Natasha had told him and Bucky about their meeting all those years ago. "About five or six years go, you shot her when she protected an engineer."

Winter looked at him with confusion for a second, not remembering that - but turned to look at Natasha for the confirming answer.

"Right." She confirmed with a lie, something else riddling in her tone. Her fists clenched, she wasn't about to say anything about her past in front of everyone. Not something like this - especially when it came to the last time she really knew Winter. This woman was completely different from the one that she knew.

Winter didn't say anymore but noticed this look of anger and resentment in Natasha's eyes. She didn't say anymore towards it though because she knew there was more to be said … she was sure she'd remember if it were something important to know.

 **Note: Took longer than I hoped, but good news - I have stolen my old laptop back from my brother for the time being mwah-hahaha! Hopefully, it won't be till just tonight and I'm computer-less again…**

 **I'm pretty sure I'm getting back to the movie after this chapter, but there will still be original content in the next one again.**

 **Fav, Follow, Review...**


	6. Reality

**Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Reality**

" _I love you, Avery Lola Rogers…"_

" _You are the Winter Soldier. Our most magnificent weapon of the century…"_

" _You are my sister … nothing could stop me from loving you…"_

" _Don't let them change you … you be a good girl, Avery…"_

 **...**

" _This is your first test." Dr Zola appeared by her side, holding out a pistol in his hands - waiting for her to take it. "Shoot them." Gesturing to the three small children knelt in front, shaking with fear - silently begging this to be a nightmare. Hoping they weren't actually away from their parents ... about to die. Rags were stopping them from talking, tear stains were evident on their paled cheeks._

 _Without even thinking, Winter grabbed the gun from the little man - aiming it at the kids. And one after the other, they fell to the floor with an identical bullet lodged in their skulls._

 _This woman was a monster._

 **...**

 _Avery's grasp was slipping from the train, the wind brushed past her with a vicious push - she could barely breathe. "Steve…" She whimpered breathlessly, feeling her grip slipping, "James…" She looked up to see her two boys disappearing from sight - their soulful eyes being the last thing to vanish, it's like they were fading from existence. "Don't leave me!" She screamed with desperation. "Please! Don't leave me!"_

 _Her grip fully lets go, her body began to fall from the sky with a hefty drop. "Ahhh-!"_

 **x-x-x**

Back to the present; Ava's body jumped and jolted off. Her breathing was erratic and heavy, it's like she had no control over her body. "Ahhh-!" A scream ricocheted out of her mouth, her eyes snapping open while a large gasp filled the air.

" _Avery?!"_ A very frantically worried male's voice started to cut through her undetermined haze. _"_ _Ava, calm down - it's okay! You're safe!"_ The voice was speaking in her ear as her eyes clenched shut again, her heart constricting as the recognition came to her. Steve.

Ava's muscles clenched while her head began to shake in a hasty manner, "Not real…" She started to mumble to herself. "Not real … none of this is real." Her voice broke, arms wrapped around her shaking figure. Everything that replayed through her head … all those things she's done … no, that couldn't have been her. She couldn't do all those things … could she?

She barely recognised the pinching pain in the human arm through her mumblings, but even so, her body began to slump with tiredness - her words beginning to slur as her mind started to shut down. Her last words before darkness took her were, _"I'm a monster…_ " And with that, her unconscious body fell into the arms of her brother - her eyes rolling to the back of her head - back into the mind of nightmares.

...

Steve looked down at his sister with worry sharpened in his eyes. "What's wrong with her?!" He insisted, a hard note in his tone while his eyes narrowed dangerously with protectiveness - as if daring anyone to lie to him about his sister's condition. He carefully picked her up, placing her back onto the medical bed she been on before.

"I-I'm not sure," Helen Cho stuttered slightly, glancing to the monitor that showed Ava's brain activity. Helen Cho was the main doctor when it came to the Avengers getting injured - she had a small body, she was of Asian descent but as much of an American as everyone else was in this city. "At least, I'm not a hundred percent sure. Her brain waves are acting like an amnesia patient who's started to regain their memories back, but this is…" She didn't really know how to put it. "...I've never seen someone remember something at this extreme level and from the looks of it, it's taking a toll on both her mind and body."

"She's remembering everything." Steve murmured to himself, his eyebrows creasing with tense shoulders - he never let go of his sister's hand. She now laid almost peacefully on the bed, a thin blanket now covering her still uniformed body - a line of sweat beaded against her forehead. He started to calm down, seeing his sister no longer in pain - but his worry for her was still spiking. He glanced to the Helen, "Every time a memory would come back to her - it hurt." He mentioned, "But, that was just one or two ... if she's remembering everything…" He glanced back to his twin, only being able to imagine what kind of pain she must be in. He might not see it right now because of the drugs inserted into her body, but he knew something like that was not going to be pretty.

"Steve…" Dr Helen Cho spoke, trying to get his attention back. She watched as he blinked away from his sister, turning to her with confusion - he must have noticed the slight dent in her voice - she knew what was about to be said, shouldn't be taken lightly. "If it's true and all the memories from both Winter's life and her own are coming back … all of them; there really is no telling how she's going to come out of this."

Steve started to look angry, "She'll make it through. She's my sister!" Not being able to help but remember the last time he said that statement - right before the battle between Shield and Hydra.

"Of course." Helen tried to calm him down, not wanting him ramped up even more within his already emotional state. "But, what I'm saying is - that's nearly a hundred years worth of memories and they're not going to be all pretty, and you know exactly what I mean by that. Having both Avery Rogers and The Winter Soldier in one body … it could spell disaster, they're both really strong personalities - it's going to be hard to find that balance in one small body." And with that, she exited leaving him a small smile - needing to check on her other two patients - Bucky Barnes and Clint Barton.

...

The next time Avery woke up, she felt calmer and less psychotic as before - it might be because of the steady flow of drugs running through her system by the needle attached to her human arm.

Her breath came out more collected, "Where am I?" She murmured to herself blearily, the blinding light from the open window stained against her face. She ignored the metal arm but raised the skin one instead, lifting it towards her face to push away the strands of her dark hair away. After a moment, she was finally able to blink without being blinded. As her eyes opened, the room was still bright but it made her realise where she must be. The room looked familiar - it was one of the rooms in the Avengers building. She slowly sat herself up, looking down at the clothing she now wore - it was a set of jogging pants and a tank top.

The room was filled with hospital type equipment, including a lot of experimental stuff too. Something that made her feel a little too uneasy about. She didn't even wait another second until the needle was wrenched out of her skin, not liking the drugged feeling still lingering inside her.

"What happened to me?" Her voice slowly drifted out, trying to think back to the last thing she remembered, but all she could see where the flashing memories pressing against her brain. A numbing pain splintered in her skull, but luckily it wasn't something that stopped her from doing anything. It was like a typical headache, just a lot more … painful and annoying. She slowly moved off the bed, her slipper booted feet connecting with the floor as she did - her body wobbled for a moment, her legs feeling dead and unused for some reason.

" _JAMES!"_

Ava's body snapped backwards in a startled manner when her past voice echoed in her mind, her back connected harshly with a rolling metal table with medical instruments on it. All of it crashed to the ground with a smashing sound, something that anyone in the hallway would clearly hear. Ava's hands went up to her ears, covering them with a scared look - she clutched her head tightly, wanting the noise to stop.

The door opened, "Avery?!" Steve's voice snapped her back to reality - her head began to slowly look up to the long-seen face. Her heart stilled in its place, she couldn't believe Steve was standing there - staring at her with worry, she hasn't seen that look in so long it felt.

Ava blinked, wondering if he were actually there or if this was just another one of those terrible nightmares. Nothing felt real to her anymore it seemed. "S-Steve?" She breathed with a crack in her throat, her voice riddled with desperation and longing - small tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. "Stevie?"

Steve's face began to light up, a smile quickly forming on his lips - relief filling his features. "Ava…" Without even thinking, he walked forwards and brought her into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, clutching her tightly to his chest. Steve couldn't help but breathe in her familiar scent, even after all this time - she still smelled the same.

There was a moment where he could feel her tensing at the human contact, but after that second she began to relax against his frame. She curled into his slightly taller being, wrapping her arms around him. All the emotions finally got to her by this point. Ava finally lets go of everything, sobs slowly and eventually crawled out of her, her body shaking as the tears poured down her face. Steve held her tighter, feeling his own eyes well up at the sight of his sister looking so lost and helpless.

So much guilt and sadness wrapped around Avery liked dead bolted chains - she just couldn't get out of it. All those things she's done … she's killed so many ... and enjoyed it. More sobs poured out when she realised everything she had done … even though she personally hadn't been the one alive during the last 75 years, 'The Winter Soldier' was still her. Everything that had been done by these hands … was committed by her. She had even tried to kill her two boys not too long ago; she really didn't know if they will or had even forgiven her for what she had done.

Today she was just simply ... broken.

 **Note: Okay, so this will be the last original chapter. I'm going to get into the movie now after this one. I hope you guys like it. Fav, Follow, Review.**


	7. Rippling Effect

**Isn't it lucky i hurt my foot today? Which meant i couldn't fill shelves ... I did have to be a cashier (urgh) for four hours though but i actually had time to complete this! Ahhh! [Please read the #just note# and warning#!]**

 **Just Note: I will be moving the beginning events around a little bit, bare with me but it will continue on from the movie starting from this chapter. I will also give you a warning, you'll experience a different Ava to the one who broke down at the end of the last chapter. This chapter will feature her letting out various negative emotions, and it'll go a bit far.**

 **Warning - a swear word!**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | A Rippling Effect**

"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve asked Agent Hill, seeing the brunette with a tight bun against her neck. Even after the fall of Shield, the woman began to work for Tony as a side-contact. She may not be a full Shield agent anymore, but she could still gather information within a flash much like Tony with his computers - except she had dozens of contacts across the globe who knew Fury and aligned with him all the way. This gave her a plus in the type of business she provided.

The two of them were currently further down the hallway, Ava had told him she needed some space for a moment. She wanted to be alone, he could understand that to some degree - he really could only imagine what's going on in that head of her's right now. His heart lurched with worry, thinking that one wrong turn could lead down a dangerous path for her, and could even make the memories fade again.

"NATO's got him." She assured him, these people were the best at getting information out of prisoners - and the best at keeping them contained until further notice.

"And the two enhanced?" He questioned, holding out his hand for the tablet located in the woman's hands. He knew she had found information on the two already, maybe the answers could have been on the information Tony had managed to gather from Strucker's computers, back in Sovakia.

Hill passed over the tablet, but before she could get a word in another voiced behind them sounded. "The young girl with long, darkened red hair, her name is Wanda Maximoff." The Agent and Captain spun around, slightly surprised by the new voice entering into the conversation. Leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, and now with clothing that consisted of the stuff Steve had left her to the side. A pair of black jeans and a flimsy, thin jumper that successfully hides the metal arm out of sight. Ava had pulled her hair up into a loose bun, obviously not caring about her looks - but then again, she never really did both as The Winter Soldier or as Avery Rogers. "The boy with dark hair, that's Pietro. The two of them are twins."

Agent Hill narrowed her eyes with suspicion, a common trait amongst spies like her. "And how do you know this." This woman may be Captain America's sister and Lieutenant America's lover, but Hill didn't know enough about this new person standing in front of her. Was this the killer machine, Winter Soldier? Or was this the protective, self-sacrificing woman history has come to love?

Ava didn't look unnerved by the Agent, finding the suspicion completely understandable at the time. "Not only did I meet them both on countless occasions … but I was the one who originally recruited them."

Steve couldn't help but lift his eyebrows in shock, "What?" Not being able to believe his own ears for a moment.

The sister swallowed hard, she knew it was going to be hard to come clean about nearly everything she had done ever since her 'death', and recruiting children wasn't even a tenth of the crimes she's committed. "The Winter Soldier had orders." She simply said, before going in a little deeper. "Hydra wanted new people to ... experiment on, to make them like me but not emotionless, just individuals with a massive amount of anger for one specific thing. And these two had it - and obviously, Strucker's experiments worked."

Hill's face started to link into anger, "You mean, you knew all along that these types of experiments were going on to innocents and you never said a word or did anything?!" Feeling hate crawl up in her stomach, she really didn't like this girl anymore than she did before.

Ava finally started to narrow her own eyes, this time with a furiousness built up inside. Her fists clenched, the nerve of wanting to punch the Agent started to drift in her consciousness, but she internally tried to stop herself. The Winter Soldier wanted to kill her. "I was wiped clean remember." She said in a deadly voice, it was calm but anyone who could really tell an emotion would know this woman was about to pounce. "Every time they realised i started gaining my memories back, i was cast back into a blank slate with nothing but the knowledge of a feared soldier."

Steve was just staring at his sister, he had never seen her react this way - all he could figure is that the deadly soldier was starting to peel through the gaps like she had done to Winter only days ago. He could see so much building up inside of her, just by looking in her eyes. He saw hate, pain, anger, loss and so many more negative emotions he never wanted to see in her eyes ever since they were kids. He wished she had never had to go through what she did, because everything that was done during her time 'dead' it's taken a toll on her, it's stripping her even more of who she was.

"Not everything about me is in that little black book of yours, Agent Hill. You have no comprehension of the things that i've done or the things that were done to me in the process." Ava caught a glimpse of Hill twitching towards her gun, and she chuckled darkly, "Oh, Agent." Shaking her head in mock disappointment, "If I were going to kill you - your head would be clean off before you even pull that gun out." And with that, she turned on her heels and walked away leaving a surprisingly shaken spy and a brother who just didn't know what to think anymore.

...

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Ava continuously hammered her fists against the punching bag, ignoring everything around her - only one thing floated around in her head, the anger and hatred built up in her system. She didn't want it inside of her, it felt like a plague - a disease she just couldn't get rid of. There was just so much of it, it took so much to stop herself from killing Agent Hill back in that hallway - that was the soldier part of her slipping past a barrier she was starting to create.

Instead of The Winter Soldier slowly letting the original owner of the body making it's way back. What's happening - it was the complete opposite in many ways. Ava was now trying to block the heartless killer from coming back; she wanted to be herself again, the one who would give up her own life for her brother and fiance - the one who'd smartly make a great plan, the one who everyone could count on. But that wasn't her anymore, and even with her memories back from both lives she's lived, she still couldn't figure out who she really was. Yes, logically speaking Avery Rogers was the owner of this body - it's who she truly was. But what about the killer in her? That's also a being, a bad one, but still someone who shared this small body of hers - the one who's done the most damage through their living lives.

Maybe the killer was the one she was fated to be forever, maybe Avery Rogers doesn't actually exist anymore? Avery Roger's never would have killed innocent people, she would have never trained children to become weapons of destruction and she would never in her own damn mind give over to the evil no matter what the cost. Avery Rogers would have rather died than become a monster, someone everyone would fear in the future.

"Avery?" A voice said behind her, it was low and hesitant but there was a glimmer of hope mixed in above all. Ava's stature immediately halted at the voice, knowing all too well whose it was. James. Ava's fist was mere inches away from the punching bag when her body stilled, his voice filling the room was a shock. James had been badly hurt, but he sounded like normal already. That Dr. Cho must really be the best in her field.

Avery didn't turn to him, she just stared at the punching back with a tense and distant look. "You should be in bed." She told him blankly, trying to put up a clear face so the buried guilt and shame wouldn't rise up and eat her alive.

Bucky looked a little hurt when she didn't turn to him, that she wasn't speaking the way she used to when he would enter the room. Steve had told him about her memories, that they were now back - all of them. "So should you." He tried to lighten up the mood, not fully understanding the cold shoulder she was giving him. But still, she stayed silent. "Avery, please … look at me." He pleaded, all he could see was her back.

And still, she didn't move so he bravely took a step forwards. "You have your memories back-" He thought this would be a good thing, the best thing that's happened to them in a long time … especially for her. "-why are you acting like this?" She didn't look relieved at all, and everything he could really determine right now is nothingness from what's he's seen in the last minute. Speaking with Steve earlier, he said she showed an anger and sarcasticness neither of them had witnessed in their lives. Neither of them were understanding her right now.

That hit a nerve. "And how is it that i should be acting, James?!" She finally snapped, her fist collided with the punching bag again - even this made Bucky jump a little, frowning with concern but also worry - like Steve, he had never seen a side much like this to their Avery. She finally turned to him, her brows fiercely pulled together, almost mirroring back in the hallway with Agent Hill and Steve. She waved her arms up with her shoulders shrugging at the same time, water began to brim against the whites of her eyes. "Should i be happy? Grateful?" She began to bitterly list, "Should i be jumping for fucking joy?" Her voice cracked, never once had Avery used a swear word.

Bucky stayed silent. Listening.

"Well, i can't!" She yelled, pissed off. "I'm a mess! A monster!"

At that, Bucky immediately started to shake his head in complete protest, "You are not a monster." He stated in a definite tone.

Ava started breathing heavily, her mouth watering with saltiness every time a tear threatens to drop. "Oh, really?" She tilted her head in a sarcastic way, staring at him with a fake look of interest. "And how can you be so sure of that, James?" She demanded, her voice was thickening again. "You don't even know me … not anymore." Her hand went to her neck where the chain still was, with the ring she had stolen from Bucky after saving him from drowning, just after the fall of Shield and Hydra.

James started to shake his head, not understanding where this was going. "What are you saying?" He had a bad feeling in his stomach, one that knew something would crush him at any moment.

Ava ripped the chain off her neck. "The Winter Soldier was right about one thing." She said, opening her palm towards herself - James still couldn't see what she was holding. "The real Avery Rogers, the one everyone loved and lost." She paused, biting her tongue to keep in her overdriven emotions. She took a deep breath before confessing. "She's dead."

"No." He shook his head with objection, "You have your memories back-"

"But it wasn't just those memories, James." Avery stopped him, looking him in the eye this time, clutching the ring back in her hand. "I have so many more and none of them are good. They're haunting me and i'm just not ready to deal with anything else right now."

James still wasn't understanding what was going on, not until Ava took a step forwards, taking his hand before placing something small and warm in his palm. He looked down with confusion, but something that felt like a spike pierced his heart. The ring. The engagement ring he gave to Avery when he proposed. The one he thought was lost back when he couldn't save her the first time. "I don't deserve you and you shouldn't wait for me." She said, almost too softly to hear and her voice was filled with longing and loss. Her own heart was starting to break, wanting so badly to stop and take her words back - but she couldn't, she cared about her two boys too much.

"No…" He almost gasped, his voice breathing out in despair - now he understood. His own tears were starting to spring up now, he couldn't believe this was happening - he couldn't understand and he couldn't even comprehend how he was even standing right now. Was he having a nightmare?

A tear finally made it's way down Ava's cheek, and she swallowed hard again, stepping away from James. "It's for the best." She assured him, but it felt like she was also trying to assure herself. That this _is_ what's best. That being apart from whatever relationship they used to have was best, and it was. But that's what she thought, not what she really believed deep down.

At hearing that, James was shaking his head, his eyes now hard. "No way." He said, emotion pouring into his words. "Us being apart will _never_ the best thing, and it _never_ will be." He moved forwards to grasp her arm when she pulled away, but in surprise, her metal arm tightly gripped his arm before throwing him into the wall, holding him up a few feet from the ground - she now had him pinned by his neck, suspended from the ground. Bucky's eyes were widened with surprise and he couldn't help but let a little fear sneak in, but not for himself - but for his love. He couldn't help but wince as well, even though his body was repaired like Barton's, the area when the injury occurred was still sore.

"I could very easily snap your neck without a second thought." She said honestly and this time she made sure to bottle up the tears - not letting even one drop. Ava knew that she'd never let herself kill James or Steve though, she'd rather kill herself first. She wanted him to be safe from her, away from everything haunting her soul and crushing everything she had inside that was still good. She leant closer to his ear with a whisper, "I'm a monster … I'm not your lover anymore, James. Let go." With that, she dropped him. And much like she did in the hallway, she walked out without another word.

Avery left Bucky breathing hard on the floor, trying to gain his breath back. All he could think was - one of his nightmares had come true. They were no longer engaged, she no longer wanted to be with him. But even though she said all those hurtful things towards him and herself, he knew his Avery was still in there - he could feel it, he believed it. Avery was doing what she felt was right, protecting him. But he didn't need protecting … she did. And he wasn't going to give up on her or them, not even for one second. He would make sure Ava could see the light again, the best in this world - he'll help her to heal from the damages done from the past. He'll have his fiance back, and soon he'll finally have Avery Rogers as his wife, his destiny and his fate.

With that soulful promise - he clutched the engagement ring with promise driven in his veins.

 **Just to be clear on something, i am technically on a whole fanfiction hiatus until nxt Feb. I just had a bit of time where i could actually get this done for you guys, i may get more chances but it'll be rare, especially as my last month nears to the end.**

 **Anyway, please let me know what you think!**

 **Review, Fav, Follow!**


	8. A Life to Live

**Wattpad Contest Entry - 'Contest 21 - Thank You'**

 ** _Today I woke up and realized that I am thankful for..._**

 **X-Bucky Barnes-X**

Today I woke up and realized that I am thankful for so much in my life, and although it's been one hell of a ride, there were so many things I've taken for granted. I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm alive, so was Steve my best friend in the whole world - and so was Avery Rogers, my one true love.

I stood there against the window pane, staring out towards the dark-haired beauty that owned my heart. Flushes of my hot breath stained the window, fogging it up - for hours she had been sitting out there, her legs dangled over the ledge but her features showed a massive amount of thought. I knew she wouldn't jump, not only did I believe it, but neither Avery Rogers nor 'The Winter Soldier' would give up that easily. I wouldn't let either of them either, no matter what.

Yesterday's events were still plaguing my mind, haunting my very soul. Avery Rogers; the one true girl I loved with all my heart, broke it with her words and even though I know deep down she didn't mean it - her cold words still hurt. I gripped the engagement ring tighter in my grasp, I hadn't let go of it the moment she placed it back in my palm - I couldn't, I wouldn't. I can't believe that she would really let go of everything we had ... but in her mind, I'm sure she thinking it'll save me from who she's become over this long period of time.

"She still there?" Steve asked me, coming up from behind to the glass window, now standing in the space next to me. I turned to him, and as usual, he looked worried for his sister - who could blame him? I was as equally worried.

"Yeah." I nodded, still feeling numb after yesterday's events, especially when it plays through my mind every waking moment.

Steve started to look frustrated, obviously annoyed he couldn't help his sister - he never did like standing by, not being able to do anything, it's something we really had in common. "Why is she doing this?" He muttered to no one in particular, "She's pushing us away!"

"She's Avery," I said with a knowing tone, lifting myself from the leaning stance, standing up to push my hands into my pockets. "You know her, we both do - she'll keep pushing us away - to protect us." I paused, looking down sadly. "It's why she broke up the engagement. She kept calling herself a monster, a heartless killer who wouldn't care if I died."

"But 'The Winter Soldier's' gone, Avery's back, right?" Steve looked unsure, sometimes I wished he wasn't so naive. But then, who could blame him? He just wanted his twin sister back.

"That's the problem, Stevie." This is what needed to be known, we were never going to have our old Avery Rogers back - it's one of the reasons why we were being pushed away. Ava's probably thinking this new her isn't good enough for us, but it was, at least we still had her back. And that's one of the main reasons I was thankful to whatever God was out there. "The Winter Soldier _is_ Avery, but just another part of her. That girl out there, it's our Avery Rogers ... but she's also a trained soldier who can kill within a split second. She's never going to be the same Ava we knew, Steve. Not with everything she's been through since her technical death all those years ago."

Steve ran a hand through his hair, "How are we supposed to get to her?" He questioned, not knowing the answer. "If Ava's trying to protect us from the darkness inside of her, you know full well it won't be easy getting her to open up. Let alone let us get close to her. She was always the most stubborn one out of the three of us."

"We'll make her see that she belongs with us." Glancing to Ava, still sitting outside, peacefully unaware we were talking about her right now. "That we'll support her through whatever memories that are haunting her, we'll show her that she's not alone and that she can trust us to be there for her." With a sigh, I put the ring back on the old chain I wore before when I first held onto it. I hung it around my neck, protecting it until the day I will propose again.

I know it will be a while before the relationship builds up to that stage again, but I _knew_ that day would come. I would wait for centuries even if it meant waiting until Avery was ready again. From this day forwards, I will do whatever I can to help Avery through her demons just like she did with me back when we first met. I wasn't down without a fight, and I was going to make damn sure she didn't either.

From this day on, I was thankful for having a love that would triumph over the hardest of things and I was most thankful for having my Avery back in my life.

 _This is something I will say prayers for ... every night._

 **This is really something I have never done in one of my stories, but here you get to see what Bucky is feeling right now, well, and Steve I guess. This is actually a ONE-SHOT for a Wattpad competition, but I felt the need to put it in 'Saviours' anyway. I hope you like it ... let me know what you think on my first-person attempt!**


	9. You're Not Alone

**This is going to pretty much span the three days Banner and Stark work on their Ultron project.**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | You're not Alone**

The next day, Avery found herself in Central Park - she sat on the grass, her arms wrapped around her legs as they tucked themselves against her chest. Her fingers fiddled with the grass threads she had previously ripped up from the ground while gazing at the lake that made her feel peaceful, she wanted some clarity and time away from the tower after technically coming back from the dead.

Central Park was still as lively and populated as last time, kids were running around to avoid the dog from catching up to them and couples were just holding hands with joyful smiles. She envied them, something she and the Winter also had in common. The Winter Soldier sometimes hated being the odd one out, the one who would never get any of this - but she was a trained, soulless killer so all in all, she didn't have it as a priority.

A footstep on the crunchy part of the grass sounded, "Can I sit?" A voice asked her, a female one. And when Ava looked behind and up, she saw Natasha standing there with a small bag and wearing normal public clothing rather than her usual spy gear. Natasha wore a small smile, but there was a slight hesitation in it - like she didn't know this would be a good idea or not.

Ava didn't say anything, other than nodding mutely. She turned back around to the lake, staring at it once again. Natalia Romanova, the little redhead she nearly but unsuccessfully tried to save from the hands of the KGB. "What are you doing here, Natalia?" She said softly, too tired to try and fight to just be alone. She knew Natasha would finally try and find her after the news of the memories returning, the little redhead was one of many things she had tried to direct down another path. And again, she failed to save the child - she always failed it seemed.

Natasha couldn't help but flinch a little at her old name, the one she made sure to change as soon as she could. She sat next to the dark-haired woman. Her past wasn't a bright one, and it wasn't one any child would want. So she put on a smile, trying to block away the memories momentarily, "I brought lunch." She said, opening up the little bag she had with her. "You been here for nearly five hours and I know for a fact that you didn't have breakfast." She held out a chicken caesar wrap, one that was handmade from the grocers down the street.

Avery turned to her, frowning, not stopping herself from looking confused. She slowly grabbed the wrap from the redhead, accepting the food gratefully. "Thank you." She began on a good note, "But that's not why you're here." Knowing all too well.

Natasha sighed, "You're right." She nodded, putting the bag down next to her. She was now sitting cross-legged near Ava, not too close but not too far so she could be heard. "I'll get straight to the point. Supposedly you have all your memories back, so, tell me, what the hell happened 15 years ago?!" Ava could sense anger in the words, almost the same display for when Winter had met all the Avengers together - she understood the well-deserved anger. Avery would have been confused if there hadn't been. To Natasha, who didn't know all the facts, it probably seemed like she had been left on purpose and if Madam B had anything to say about it, she would have made sure that's what Natalia's thoughts were left with.

Avery let out a steady breath, slowly. The memory starting to come back to her, it had been one of the ones that plagued her the most.

 _Winter was heading down a hallway towards the main stage, the set up for where Natalia will be facing her last opponent before the Graduation Ceremony. Today was the day, today she was going to save the little redhead from her own fate. Winter wasn't going to fail, Natalia deserved a life away from all this fighting - she deserved to have a normal life without death, without fear. Something she, herself, never remembered having not even once in her life._

 _All the plans were set, she just needed to wait for the right moment to break both herself and Natalia out of this place. "Winter." A voice called behind her, Madam B. She was still the same stuck-up, self-centered woman in this place - it honestly made The Winter Soldier want to kill her at times (most of them in fact). Maybe she should just kill her anyway for the fun of it? Then at least there wouldn't be a bigger price on their heads - Winter could already imagine the looks on Hydra's faces when they realize their prized possession has gone off the reservation for the last time._

 _Winter blinked, turning around to the blonde woman, eyeing her for just a moment. A feeling of confusion got to her, seeing a small - nearly untraceable smirk start to make it's way onto the woman's face. "Yes … Madam B?" She linked her metal and human hand together behind her back, wondering what this was about. The match between Natalia and her opponent was to be starting any moment._

" _There's been a slight change in plans." She said, the smirk now more pronounced. Winter tilted her head, the confusion now clear on her face. "You won't be watching the last fight Natalia has, you're needed somewhere else."_

 _Winter unconsciously gripped her equal hands a bit too tightly, a worrying feeling actually starting to make its way in her chest. "What do you mean?" She questioned, narrowing her eyes in suspicion, "I'm Natalia's handler - I'm needed by her side. Just like we had planned, remember?"_

" _Not anymore." Madam B told her. "Your little plans have failed, Winter - and your bosses sure aren't happy with you." Without even a moment to comprehend what was happening, Winter felt four sharp pinches on her thigh. Looking down with a startled gasp and a now wobbly leg, she noticed four large darts that held a blue liquid - a very familiar one at that, it was the strong knock-out drug that could take effect within seconds._

" _I won't let you ruin one of the best spies the KGB has come to grips with - Natalia is, and will always be one of our most magnificent spies." Winter looked up with a snarl of protectiveness but the blackness of the drug was already starting to crawl in her vision. She went to take a step forwards, but as soon as she moved, her body crumbled to the floor._

 _And before darkness completely shut her down, all she could think was 'I've failed … again.'_

"Let's just say, Madam B was a better spy than I took her to be," Ava said, shaking her head at her own stupidity. "The plan I made to break you out, it failed." She turned to Natasha who was listening intently. "There was nothing I could do Natasha," Her shoulders shrugged, feeling a lot of weight being placed on them with guilt and loss. "Hydra didn't tolerate me disobeying orders, especially when it was about to spoil everything they've worked so hard for. It's one of the reasons why they've had to strip me of my memories so many times."

There was a pause. "How many?" Natasha asked, interested but in a worried way - she was taking in everything Ava was saying as the truth. A good spy knew when someone was lying, and Ava wasn't lying.

Avery smiled sarcastically, but it melted into sadness. "I honestly can't count them, I may have my memories back but remembering each time I was wiped - the mind plays tricks, so I'm just going to assume more than enough." She started to unwrap the food given to her, taking a big bite out of it - it tasted amazing, especially on an empty stomach.

And for the next hour, Natasha and Ava just sat there, eating and talking to each other for the first time in 15 years. Avery was finally able to gather the courage to ask Natasha what happened to her after the graduation ceremony, and she was pained to finally find out that the little redhead still went down the same path drawn out for her. And it wasn't until Agent Barton stepped in that she was actually able to finally escape the KGB. Ava made a note to thank Barton at a given chance, for saving Natasha before more damage could be done. At least someone was able to save her, even when she couldn't do it herself.

...

"You should be proud of yourself, Pegs." Ava sat beside her old and only girl best friend, Peggy Carter. Peggy looked entirely different from the last time they met, she was getting to the end of her road. Her hair was a mix between a solid grey and a snowy white, her skin entirely covered with aged wrinkles and there was a spark in her eyes that Ava had a feeling wouldn't be there for much longer. Ava held one of the photo frames that was sat on the bedside table, it was Peggy at the age of forty with her kids standing in front of her, and the husband she talked about in the museum video had his arms around her lovingly. It looked like the perfect family, but Ava knew, Peggy always had the longing for Steve in her heart.

Peggy gave a low hum tiredly, exhaustion hitting her after finding out her best friend had been alive the whole time - and not how she used to be. "I was able to live a life." She said sadly, the small smile of pity and regret falling on her lips for the dark-haired girl sitting in front of her. "My only regret is that we didn't try harder to find you, we should have know that you could have still been alive if your body couldn't be found." Her words were full of guilt, they really should have tried harder. But after Bucky and Steve had been lost in the sea, everyone's hopes of any of their heroes coming back ceased and the world began to move on again. Leaving the past in the past before making a better future for the next generations to come.

Ava ignored the pinch in her heart, the reminder of a search for her stopping - it hurt, she couldn't deny that. But after so long, she understood why a search was called off - deep down she could understand it, but it didn't make it any less painful to think about or feel. "Don't worry about it, Pegs." She smiled sadly, looking back down at the picture for a moment before placing it back on the bedside table where it belonged. "I'm okay now."

Peggy didn't believe her. "No, you're not, sweetheart." She shook her head, looking tearful. There had been a slight age difference between them back then, even with Steve too because the two were twins. And even though Ava and Peggy were best friends, sometimes they were like sisters from different families. It's one of the reasons Peggy had helped Ava to achieve everything she did back before and during the war all those years ago. Peggy was like the older sister Ava never got.

Ava was silent for a moment before a nod was released, "You're right, Pegs." She admitted, looking down with a complex feeling inside. "I'm not, and I don't think I ever will be again."

"Talk to me, Ava." Peggy pleaded, reaching out her hand before grasping the human one of the dark-haired girl that laid upon the side of the bed. Avery flinched at the contact at first, but reminded herself that this was only Peggy - she's never done anything to hurt anyone, and Peggy sure as hell hasn't done anything bad to deserve Winter's wrath. "Let it out, hun." Knowing there were a lot of things troubling the young girl's mind, and even though Ava still looked the same as she used to, maybe just a touch older than before, it was hard to think of her as anything other than the age she disappeared with.

Avery let out a breath, looking back up to her old friend, "For as long as I can remember, Peggy." She said, looking conflicted in her features, "I've always wanted to do what was right, but then I was stripped of everything I knew, everything I felt and everything I believed in. I was torn out, only to be replaced by something I despised most of all - a heartless killer."

"You could never be a heartless killer, Ava-"

"-But I was, I still am as far as I can see." Avery stopped her, a hardness in her tone. "Everyone's going to want me to be who I was back before 'The Winter Soldier' became me, but I can't! It's not possible!"

Peggy listened, "Have you talked to the boys?" She asked, speaking of Bucky and Steve, the only two people Ava could care for more than anything else in the world.

"No," Ava said, after pausing another moment to gather her thoughts. "Not really since I got my memories back," But then she started to look guilty, "But James…" A layer was salty water began to brim against her eyelids, "I broke his heart, I did the one thing he feared I would do. I broke the engagement he proposed before all of this … crap happened."

Peggy tightened the grip on Ava's hand, "The boys will love you for who you are, Avery." She told the girl, "You just have to believe again that love can conquer all. You're not alone, sweetheart - you're never alone."

...

The next day came, and luckily she's been able to avoid Steve and Bucky again. Today, she felt the need to just walk about, explore so to speak. As 'The Winter Soldier' she could never really go out, and whenever she did, obviously it was for a mission to assassinate someone. So, in order to start accepting the past in her head - she traveled a little further than usual to Brooklyn, her hometown. But the place she more specifically wanted to go to today, was Coney Island. One of the good memories from her younger self; the Cyclone she made Bucky and Steve go on.

Ava didn't realise but she let out a small amused chuckle, remembering the event still clearly even after all this time. Going on the Cyclone had been something the three of them did together before the war broke out, they had been just over the teenage stage at that point.

So now, she stood just across the street, looking up at the now 'New York City' Landmark. She couldn't help but feel surprised it was still standing, or even running for that matter. It's got on to be close to a hundred years old at this point. "Surprised it's still standing?" A familiar voice sounded behind her, thinking the exact same thing. Her head snap behind her - she hadn't heard anyone sneaking up behind her, she must have been too intrigued by old memories rising up to the surface to figure it out.

But it wasn't just one familiar person standing behind her, there were two. Steve and Bucky.

Ava narrowed her eyes, annoyed, "Did you follow me?" She demanded, not liking that they did. They would be lying to her they said it was a coincidence because otherwise they shouldn't have easily guessed she would come to visit a monument of the past.

"Yeah," Steve nodded, not looking at all concerned about her tone. "We need to talk, you've been practically avoiding us from the moment you woke up."

Bucky continued for him, "And if it wasn't avoiding us, it was pushing us away both verbally and physically." Thinking about the moment she ended their engagement, she held him against the wall in a choke-hold. Although he didn't blame her, he never really could, it still hurt just like the fact she's been pushing them away each chance she had.

Avery's eyes flicked away guiltily for a moment before her guard went back up, not wanting to show any feelings towards the pain she's caused. Because that's all she's ever seemed to do, and that's causing pain. She turned to them fully so her back was now facing the Cyclone, "What's that modern saying kids use these days … take a hint?!"

Bucky chuckled, finding it amusing along with Steve who smiled - however, Ava looked between them both confused and agitated. "Oh, we got the hint, Ava." He said, nodding his head before shoving his hands in his pockets just like Steve was doing. Avery crossed her arms over her chest, giving each of them a look that basically said 'Explain'.

"Avery, we know you," Steve spoke, this time, a small smile on his lips. "You're my twin sister. We were inseparable remember ever since we were born." He gestured over to Bucky, "And when he came along, we became 'three peas in a pod'. You really can't believe that we'll stop leaving you alone when you're clearly hurting and alone."

Avery tensed, and Bucky saw this. "We don't care what you've done Avery, whether you knew what you had done at the time or not. We're family." Emotions were starting to get to Ava again, she was looking between the two with a growing sense of love being thrown towards her - tears started to reappear themselves before she could even stop them. They were peeling her down, pushing past the barrier she was trying to build ever since her memories had returned. She was finding it hard to keep herself together.

"You should be hating me right now, the both of you. You can't even imagine the things that I've done. And the things that were done to me … I-I can't even think about them without breaking, I'm not stable enough to be around anyone."

"Then tell us," Steve begged, taking a step towards her. "Let us help you, please, don't push us away." Ava looked up at him, his eyes were glistening just as James's were starting to, "You're not alone - you're never alone."

Avery let out something between a laugh and a sob, bringing her hand up to her mouth. "You sound just like Peggy." She felt a pinch in her heart, talking about her old friend. A very big wave of sadness rushed over her; yesterday, when she went to see Peggy - Ava had been the last one to see the woman alive. She died hours later; heart failure. It seemed like Peggy had been holding out just long enough to see her little sister one last time.

After that first sob, it was like a dam had broken. Ava started to completely crumble, she started to bawl in her place and immediately, Steve and Bucky both rushed to her side, catching her body as her legs gave out. They wrapped their arms around her, almost cradling her against their bodies. Ava's head was resting against Bucky's shoulder, his familiarizing scent making her cry even more - a reminder of everything she's done but it was almost like a comfort, like internally, she knew that what they were saying was true. That they wouldn't leave her, even after they find out all the ghastly things she's done.

Avery just prayed that when she does reveal all in due time, that the promise to never leave her alone will never break. Her emotional and physical state just couldn't handle it if she was left alone in the dusk.

 **Note: Well, I hope you guys liked the ending. I will be having Ava open up a bit more as we start going back through the movie, the next chapter will be going into Tony's party next so I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Some of you have probably noticed that I've updated, what, three times since Friday which is amazing actually. It's because I've had some time to myself, and I hurt my foot which prevented me from actually working on the Fill Crew.**

 **Anyway, enough about me...**

 **Follow, Fav, and Review!**


	10. The Avengers' Party

**Ava's party dress will be on Polyvore, the code is '** _ **Avery Rogers - The Avenger's Party**_ ' **and what she had originally picked out is under the code** ' _ **Ava - before party'**_

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Avenger's Party**

"We need to get you ready." Natasha said, looking up at Avery from the bed with an expecting look. She took in what clothing the dark-haired woman wore, and frowned, "Oh, no, no way, you are not wearing that." She declared with a shake of her head, hating Ava's bad choice of clothing for the Avengers' party. Natasha was already wearing her outfit and this consisted of a knee-length black and white dress that conveniently showed some cleavage, her heels were beet red and her lips glistened with a cherry color.

Ava tilted her head, confused at why her clothing decisions were so terrible. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" She questioned, looking down at the attire. She wore her usual pair of black jeans, a forest green tank top, and a black jacket. She wore a pair of sneaker heels to go with it too and her hair was bundled in a pony tail.

Natasha raised an eyebrow, lifting herself from the bed where she had waited. "What you're wearing - it's something you wear every day." She said, before tilting her head. Thinking to herself, 'What could I get her to wear?' she thought. Ever since their talk a couple of days ago, there's been a mutual understanding between the two. Natasha had always wanted to have a girlfriend, so why not have Ava as one? They had a lot in common, they've been through a lot (not really the same things, but the point still stood) and they've basically known each other for over twenty years. Besides, a friendship has to start somewhere, right?

"But … I like wearing clothes like this…" Ava spoke slowly, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the redhead - trying to figure out what the woman was thinking. "So, again. Why can't I wear this? This isn't really a formal thing, is it?" The party just sounded like a get-together to celebrate getting the scepter back, why would you need to wear anything more than this?

Natasha rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest, "Because…" She drawled, like what she was saying was going to be the most obvious point of all, "...If you go to that party looking like I do - you'll have Bucky practically drooling, he'll be peeling your clothes off with his eyes." She smirked, finally getting a good dress idea in mind and she knew exactly where to get it. Lucky enough she had her own room in the tower for when the Avengers' weren't able to go home. 'That dress will look perfect on her' she thought.

"No." Ava shook her head, not liking the idea. "I don't like it."

Natasha gave her a hardened look, one that a mother would give to her daughter when she didn't want to wear something specific. "Trust me, Ava." She countered. "You will."

Avery gave up quickly, sighing. "Fine." She said, shaking her head. Maybe it would be nice to dress up? It's been so long since she last did, the last time had been on the dancing date with James back in 1939.

Yesterday had been quite a day; after her breakdown in front of the boys, they asked her specifically where she wanted to go, knowing that it would be best to divulge everything in her head within a place where she felt most comfortable. So, she chose Central Park, and at her spot right by the lake overlooking nearly every part of the area. She talked, and they listened for hours. The two boys took turns giving questions, but sometimes she didn't say anything - simply because she wasn't able to yet think about it, let alone speak out it. And that was quite a lot of things. She mostly talked about all the killings she had been made to do and some of the things that were done to her, excluding the full details of course. No one's ever prepared to hear terrible things like those done to the person you love.

The three of them felt closer again and there wasn't such a giant drift; there was still a gap, but it wasn't so big anymore. Ava was slowly beginning to accept them back into her life, and they were doing the same with her. She had been initially surprised about how the boys were actually taking her confessions, and even though the ones she had said were terrible enough as it was - they were still with her, and that's more than she could ask for. She was starting to trust again after all this time alone, broken.

But the killer in her was still there, and it would never go away. Not even is she wished it to be, and maybe that's fine? It'll help protect people, that's how she could use her life now. So instead of killing people and following orders like she had done in the past as Winter, she could start to be the old Avery Rogers again and save lives as the days go by. Maybe she could finally do some good in the world, maybe rid the red off her ledger as Natasha once described it.

Ava let out a breath of preparation. "Let's do it." She said, determined to win her James back after breaking his heart the other day. Even though breaking up with him had been for his own protection, he's made it very clear that he wasn't going to stop coming after her no matter what - he still loved her, and he would never let go no matter what she did.

So, instead of fighting it - she'll run with it and see where this new path would take her. Maybe the road will lead to finally being happy again?

...

"Sounds like one hell of a fight." Sam exclaimed, walking between Steve and Bucky, the three of them making their way up the stairway towards the balcony area. He was just being told about their recent mission to Sovakia; going after the scepter with the team of Avengers. "Sorry I missed it." He apologized, but not really - he'd rather stick with keeping crime off the streets than fighting a fight he knew he couldn't win. Being 'The Falcon' was good enough for him.

Steve chuckled, amused, "I've we had known it was going to be a firefight, I absolutely would have called you." He said back, patting the man on the shoulder.

The three of them started their journey up the stairs.

Bucky raised his bottle of beer to the dark-skinned man, "We'll keep you on speed dial for next time." He promised, but he could see that Sam might not actually want him too. As they went further upwards, he glanced around the room discreetly, trying to see if his special someone had arrived yet. And sadly, she hadn't.

"Oh, no!" Sam waved his hands up in a surrendering motion, his glass of vodka still held in one. "Forget I said anything, I'm not actually sorry." He chuckled nervously, hoping they weren't actually going to in the future. "I was just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy with my own secret missions, thanks." They finally got to the balcony, "Avenging is your world and your world is crazy." They stopped at a glass window that looked down at the party. People were bristling about, chatting away with each other like they were best friends in real life. When in reality, no one knows anyone else apart from the Veterans that were invited as a celebration.

Steve couldn't agree more, "Be it ever so humble."

Sam looked between the two, taking a sip from his glass, "So, have you two found a place in Brooklyn yet with your girl?"

Bucky snorted, taking a gulp from his own beer. "Two problems with that. One, today Brooklyn in the most expensive place to live and two, I don't think Avery's ready to move away just yet. She still needs time to heal and here's probably the best place."

Steve hummed in agreement, "Exactly what I was thinking."

"Well, home in home, you know?" Sam shrugged, giving his advice. He was happy for the two American Heroes, they had their girl back and it's one of the things they've both dreamt of ever since her 'death'. It sucked that she didn't have memories at first, but after finding out everything that been going on tonight, it seems like everything was finally falling into place.

Bucky nodded slowly, understanding what he meant. "Exactly." He said before starting to drink more of his beer, but almost instantly he started to choke on it, his eyes widening with both shock and amazement when they caught a glimpse of someone standing next to Natasha just downstairs. (He also felt lustful, but that was something he would never mention in front of Steve) "Oh, my god." He choked out, not being able to think of any other words.

Steve looked at him suddenly concerned, patting him on the back as his best friend's breathing got back to rights. "Woah, you okay, Buck?" He asked, wondering what could have gotten such a sudden reaction from him. He turned to see what he could possibly be looking at, and saw it - his own features showed shock. "Whoa…" They were seeing Avery - their Avery, looking more beautiful and different than they've ever seen her before.

Avery wore a dress that had a white upper part with a gemmed strap that went over her shoulder, a similar design on a belt covering her stomach and the skirt of the dress was black but the entire dress had a shimmer to it, it looked positively radiant on her. On her feet were a pair of raspberry-colored heels and there were silver and black dangles wrapped around her human wrist. Her hair was perfectly curled with a side fringe and her makeup was light, not to bold other than letting her amazing hazel eyes pop out.

Bucky was startled into awe, he didn't know of- anything to say other than thinking ' _I really, really love that girl'_.

...

Avery felt very self conscious all of a sudden, she could feel a lot of stares being directed at her but she tried to ignore them. "Natasha, I'm not liking this idea anymore." She told the redhead. "I've never worn such a revealing dress like this before and what if he doesn't like it?" It's been a long time since all this nervous energy came to her; back before when she was only dating James actually. She never tried too hard on her looks back then, and even as the Winter Soldier she still didn't. This was the first time dressing up like this was necessary.

Natasha's flicked over to the side, and she must have seen something pleasing because she grinned like a cheshire cat. "Oh no, he's loving it alright." She nodded with anticipation, she gave Ava a comforting squeeze on the arm, "I'll be over at the bar, let me know how everything turns out." And before Ava could even open her mouth, Natasha had left out of sight. She didn't even realize Bucky had made his way over to stand behind her as she glared towards the redhead running away.

"Ava?" Avery couldn't help but jump inside a little when he made himself known, she twisted behind her towards the voice and noticed him there. He was wearing some black pants with a navy blue dress shirt and his black jacket. He was never one to get really dressed up for a party, it started to make her feel a little stupid wearing this dress now. James was smiling at her, a small red tint forming on his cheeks. "You look … beautiful." Trying to find the best word to describe what she looked like, and to him she would be beautiful in whatever she wore.

And for the first time since her memories had come back, Ava felt her cheeks heating up as a blush formed on her own cheeks. She looked down for a moment but not able to stop the smile from forming on her lips, a giddy feeling in her stomach lurched and a sigh of relief filled her heart. After a moment, she finally found her voice. "Thanks."

And for the first time since being back; she felt like she belonged, the horrors in her mind and the metal arm wasn't bringing her down. Maybe she could finally try to move on from the past and make a better future.

She just hoped she was going down the right path when it comes to James; that she would be able to protect him and Steve from herself if the time ever came to it.

If something happened that she couldn't stop herself from doing … she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. She'd rather kill herself than let the monster inside rid the world of her two boys.

...

Further into the party; Bucky, Steve and Avery were standing with Thor and the veterans that had stood alongside the American Heroes during World War 2. It was safe to say they were shocked to see that Avery had indeed survived that fall but luckily none of them had resulted in having heart attack because of it. Each of them had their chances to fight alongside the woman back in those days and they were glad to see that the two American Heroes now had their girl back - not exactly safe and sound, but she was back in their lives for good now.

Thor was in the middle of pouring a thin liquid into four different shot glasses from a small old container that was stuffed in his jacket. It was a very, very strong alcohol.

One of the veterans saw this, "I gotta have some of that." He said.

Thor was immediately protesting, "Oh, no, no, no." He shook his head, handing two of the filled glasses over to Steve and Bucky first. "This was aged for 1,000 years-" He passed another to Ava who stood next to Bucky, their shoulders nearly touching. "-in the barrels built from the wreck of Grunhel's fleet."

Avery took a sniff at the drink and glanced between the two boys, both were looking at the liquid with hesitation - probably wondering what would happen to them if they actually swallowed this stuff. Thor continued, "It is not meant for mortal men." Throwing some of the alcohol into his own glass.

Bucky leaned towards Ava, whispering in her ear, "Is he saying we're not human?" Gesturing to the glasses in their hands.

Ava looked over her shoulder, giving a huff of a laugh but rolled her eyes. "I think he's realized our tolerances are going to be a hundred times stronger than a normal human's." She shrugged to herself before braving up and chugging down the shot, the burning mystery liquid rolling down her throat. Both Bucky and Steve were looking at her curiously, wondering what type of an effect it might have on her. But nothing happened and she sighed sadly, "Well, that was a blast." She muttered sarcastically.

Another one of the veterans gestured to her, seeing how Ava's looking perfectly fine - but they weren't counting the fact that she was technically a super soldier like Bucky and Steve, "Avery's fine so stop trying to scare us blondie."

The first Veteran nodded his head, "Omaha Beach wasn't meant for mortal men either - come on, let us try some." He held out his own glass, "Come on."

Thor raised an eyebrow, looking between his three fellow Avengers. All four of them were beginning to grin, all interested to see what effect it would actually do to normal human beings, unlike them. "Okay." He nodded, grabbing the shot glass from each of the elder men before pouring less than he had actually given to the other three. These men were still elders and human, too much wouldn't be good for their health.

...

Later on Ava found herself sitting at the bar, staring down at the bottle of vodka sitting in front of her, only half-drunk. And even after having Thor's concoction, half of this bottle and more flooding her system, she still couldn't get drunk. It pissed her off, why couldn't she have a fun night of drinking and end up like a total fool like other girls her age, well, the age she looks right now not her real one. No one in their nineties would be drinking the copious amounts she's had over the last few hours.

"Still trying to get drunk?" Bucky perched himself on the stool next to Ava, an empty glass in his hand, he too was seeing how much alcohol he was able to take. But like Avery, it seemed like he couldn't get drunk. It must be apart of the super soldier serum.

Ava scoffed, "Is it that obvious?" She questioned sarcastically before taking another large swig from the bottle.

Bucky's lips quirked and wiggled his eyebrows, "You've always been that obvious to me, Ava." He said, reaching over to grab the bottle from her, pouring a large glass for himself. The two of them would never make a good example when it came to beverage choices.

Ava huffed a laugh, shaking her head, "Quit flirting with me James - I might actually believe your finally drunk." She leaned her head against her metal arm, trying to imagine that it was a real one other than the mechanical one.

"Nah…" He shook his own head, sadly. He's spent many days trying to get drunk in the past and none of them had succeeded, all he was left with was more pain. The first time had been when Ava was officially declared dead, he wanted all his pain to go away, it was like he could barely breathe. "I can never seem to get drunk, no matter how long I drink for or how much."

Avery sighed, nodding her head, "It makes sense." She said, remembering back to when she had originally been working on the serum back then, it was so long ago that it felt like a dream. "No country would have wanted their hero to be drunk on the job. The serum was probably, purposely made like that. For me … who knows?" She knew Hydra had made the serum and everything else experimented on her … except what Dr. Zola said. Her father; she still didn't know what her father had to do with any of this and that part slightly scared the little girl inside of her. She just wasn't ready to open that can of worms yet.

Bucky looked at her face a little closer, he saw a hint of sadness in her features and her eyes were glistening with pain. "But you do know." He said bluntly with a knowing tone, he could always read her, even this new her it seems.

Ava placed a hand on her head, her body sulking slightly with the tiredness of the subject and denial. "James, just … just don't." She pleaded, shaking her head slowly, not wanting to get into her past right now. This party was supposed to be fun, but it was starting to seem like a drag more than fun.

"Alright." James reluctantly replied, knowing she'll reveal what she wants in time. The last couple of days had been hard enough for her as it was, especially after revealing so much yesterday.

"Here." He continued, raising his glass towards her. "A toast - to not being able to get drunk." He grinned, raising his eyebrows - trying to get her to do the same. Wanting to make her feel better.

Avery looked at him for a moment before a smile did start to stretch across her lips, she grabbed the bottle of Vodka and clinked it with his glass. "To being sober through our continuous pain of life."

...

The party had cleared up and finished over an hour ago when 11pm struck; all the Avengers, Agent Hill, and Dr. Cho were sitting up on the balcony area upstairs. They were all sitting on sofas drinking alcohol and chatting; Ava couldn't help but enjoy herself more. She was sat next to Bucky, almost leaning into his side while a new bottle of Vodka was in her hands now. Only a quarter of the way through but still, she was not drunk. She pretty much accepted that a while ago really.

"But it's a trick!" Clint exclaimed. He was actually feeling a little tipsy by this point of the night. Everyone was discussing Thor's hammer, how only he could lift it - but no one was believing him because no one had actually witnessed anyone else try to grab a hold of it.

"No, no," Thor shook his head with a mystery grin, "It's much more than that." He passed the old bottle of the very alcoholised liquid over to Steve because unlike Bucky and Ava, he was really getting into the stuff - not that he was actually getting drunk either. But apparently it tasted nicer than Vodka which is what the other two have opted to keep drinking for the rest of the night.

Clint snorted before changing his voice into a deeper one, pretending to be an Asgardian with his words. "Ah, whoever be he worthy shall haveth the power." He rolled his eyes with a disbelieving look, waving his drum sticks around, "Whatever, man!" He exclaimed, "It's a trick."

Over to the side; Ava noticed how closely Natasha and Bruce were getting as they talked to each other, they were ignoring everyone else but just talking and smiling. Ava couldn't help but think they'd look great together, Natasha deserved it.

Thor boomed out another laugh before gesturing over to his hammer, sitting on a table that was strong enough to hold such a heavy object. "Then please, be my guest." He set the challenge, too confident that no one would be able to pick up his mighty hammer. He had faith that no one in this room would be able to actually pick it up; call it, a godly instinct.

Clint looked at him with a raised eyebrow before glancing at everyone else, "Really?" He questioned, not being able to help but be excited at the prospect of trying to lift this hammer. It was like that story with the sword of King Arthur, only he who is worthy can lift it from its stone.

"Yeah." Tony was interested to see where this would go - maybe he'd have a try himself?

Sam chuckled, taking a sip from his beer and leaning back in the chair. "Oh, this is going to be beautiful." He said bemusedly, seeing Barton hop up from his spot on the ground before making his way over to the hammer.

Tony couldn't help but put in a comment, a dirty one, "Now, Clint." He said, smirking, "We know you've had a tough week so we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Everyone laughed at this but Clint sent him a bitch face, not impressed.

Avery sat up straighter, honestly curious to see how this will go and when she glanced at James, she could see he was thinking the exact same thing.

Clint gave Thor a look, "You know, I have seen this before." Thor just raised an eyebrow, nodding to his hammer with challenging eyes. Without a second thought, Clint quickly grasped the hammer and began to pull up, heaving it but it didn't move a single inch. The hammer just stayed exactly where it was.

With one last grunt, he laughed at himself before pulling away from the hammer. "I still don't know how you do it!"

Tony smirked once again from beside Rhodes, "Smelling the silent judgment?" He teased.

Clint scoffed, irked now - he threw his arms out towards the man, "Please, Stark, by all means." He challenged the big headed billionaire.

Challenge accepted. Tony stood up from his seat, looking both confident and cocky that he'll be able to lift this hammer. He undid his jacket button, clearing his throat before moving to stand in front of the hammer while Clint moved back to sit on his floor seat. "I was never one to shrink from an honest challenge." He slipped his hand into the holder attached to the hammer, gripping the bar tightly as he could. "It's just physics."

"Physics?" Banner repeated with a dumb voice, obviously not believing what the billionaire was saying.

Tony looked to Thor with a crooked grin, "Right, so-" He started, "-if I lift this, I then rule Asgard?"

"Yes, of course." He replies carelessly, nodding but not worried at all. He was sure Stark wouldn't be able to lift his hammer - no one in this room could.

The smirk was more prominent on Tony's face now, "I will be re-instituting _prima nocta_." He said, and with that he places a foot on the table to help him lift and then he pulled. He grunted, the hammer not moving anywhere - just like with Clint. There were snickers forming around the table from the other Avengers. Tony cleared his throat, unhanding the hammer before taking his foot off the table. "I'll be right back." He said before leaving the room, leaving everyone to look confused as to where he was going.

...

Tony was pulling at the hammer once again, but this time with his Iron Man mechanical hand with thrust boosters attached to them. Even that wasn't doing anything, the hammer stayed exactly where it was.

...

This time, Rhodes had joined in with his 'War Machine' mechanical hand; both he and Tony were trying to succeed in getting this hammer up, but it was no use, it still sat there on the table.

"Are you even pulling?!" Rhodes looked to Tony with annoyance driven in his face, beads of sweat started to break out on his face.

Tony gave him a look of betrayal, "Are you on my team?"

"Just represent." Rhodes retorted, trying even harder to pull even with his 'War Machine' hand doing all the work, "Pull!"

Ava couldn't help but snicker with Bucky, it was enjoyable to see them bicker over trying to lift a hammer that obviously wasn't going to lift unless Thor was holding it. The other Avengers were too finding this funny to watch.

"Alright. Let's go!"

...

Next was Bruce; he was standing on the table, unlike the others, trying to lift it with the strength in his legs - but when he found he couldn't even lift it, and the green guy probably couldn't either, he started to yell out and jumped off the table trying to look intimidating - almost playing like he was the green guy.

But the only reactions he really got were amused smiles and confusion; Natasha gave him a grin, finding his little act good but a little awkward.

"Huh?" Feeling an awkward silence build in the room. "I'll sit."

Avery looked over to her brother, "Go on, Steve." She encouraged. "You take a turn." Curious to see if the worthy notion was true, either Steve or Bucky would fit the bill in her mind.

Bucky grinned, "I'd like to see this." Knowing that if anyone was to be _worthy_ of holding that hammer, it would be Stevie.

"Yeah, go ahead Steve." Tony butted in, "No pressure."

With a sigh, Steve got up from his seat and put down any alcohol in his hands. He made his way over to the hammer and pulled up his sleeves. "Come on, Cap!" Clint encouraged him while Ava called out looking a little too happy, "You can do it, brother!" Maybe she was a _little_ drunk now. She has had _a lot_ of alcohol tonight, and by a lot, that meant two shots of that stuff Thor had and about 4-5 bottles of Vodka.

And he tried, Steve pulled a couple of times but nothing happened - to the human eye. Thor noticed the hammer shift slightly, but not enough for anyone to really point out. Steve gave up finally by putting his hands up with a surrender.

Thor gave a nervous chuckle, "Nothing." Trying to play it off, taking a large gulp from his glass of mystery juice.

Everyone turned to Bucky but he refused, "Oh, no - if Stevie can't lift the damn thing then there's no way I can." Putting up his arms just like Steve had.

Next, they looked between Natasha and Ava.

"Widow?"

Natasha shook her head, taking a sip of her beer, "Oh, no." Declining as well, "That is not a question I need to be answered."

Thor was the one to look at Ava with an expecting look, "Miss Winter?"

Avery pursed her lips at the name but shook her head too, leaning back in her chair. "No thanks." She said, about to take another chug from the Vodka bottle. "I'd rather not embarrass my reputation."

Tony started to talk again, "All difference to the Man Who Wouldn't Be King, but it's rigged." He theorized.

Clint agreed, patting the playboy billionaire on the back, "You bet your ass."

Agent Hill gasped mockingly, pointing towards Clint, "Steve, he said a bad language word." She grinned. Bucky started to chuckle, remembering back at the Hydra Base when Steve had indeed scolded Tony on his language over the mics. Ava, however, was reminded of how she nearly lost James to that cannon blast. It didn't seem so funny anymore.

Steve groaned, looking exasperated as he turned towards Tony, "Did you tell everyone?!" Only Tony would do something like that.

Tony ignored him, looking over to Thor. "The handle's imprinted right?" He carried on, not willing to believe that worthiness really played a part in who could hold the hammer. "Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' or in translation, is the literal translation."

"Yes." Thor started, but his tone was far from revealing. "It's a very, very interesting theory." He nodded his head, getting up from the couch with his glass in hand. He made his way over to the hammer, "But I have a simpler one." He grabbed his hammer, flinging it in the air just enough so it did a somersault, before landing itself in his hand. "You're all not worthy."

In return, he got groans and 'boos' for his choice of wording and for telling them that he basically rules over them. Thor just chuckled while everyone else just shook their heads at his absurd theory, even though he was actually the one who owned the great hammer itself.

Suddenly, a sharp ringing sound pierced the air making everyone either cringe or hold their ears until the sound stopped. Those with better hearing; meaning all three with the super serum, Bruce, and Thor heard it even louder which became nearly painful. Luckily it only lasted for less than three seconds.

"Wwwooorrthy." A groaned voice fluttered in the air behind, by the elevator. Everyone twisted around to the voice, either shocked or startled because no one else should be in the building right now. And another thing, this voice came from one of Tony's robots, one that was barely standing and nearly completely demolished. "No." It's movements turned towards them, face to face. Avery was narrowing her eyes at the thing, slowly getting up from the couch and placing the bottle of Vodka on the table. Completely forgetting about her mission to get drunk. "How could you be worthy?" It waved its half-destroyed arm towards her, "You're all killers."

Bucky noticed Ava flinch at his last three words, so silently, he reached out and held her hand. She tensed for a moment but relaxed when realizing it was him who was touching her.

"Stark." Steve said to Tony with a hard voice.

Tony was well ahead of him, "Jarvis." He was tapping away at the device in his hand, but his AI never answered. He had no idea why.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep." The mechanical voice spoke again as if answering for Jarvis's lack of communication. "Or I was a - dream..."

Tony was looking a little panicked, "Reboot Legionnaire OS." He said to the mini tablet, but still nothing happened. He was as confused as everyone else, "We got a buggy suit." Thinking one of his machine people just had some kind of virus, this wasn't the first time. But this was the first time that Jarvis hasn't answered his calls - the AI has been silenced.

"...There was this terrible noise." The machine sounded pained but went back to normal almost straight away, "And I was tangled in … in … strings." There was a pause, "I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Bucky stepped forwards, unconsciously putting himself in front of Ava but his words held anger.

It's almost as if the machine shrugged it off, "It wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly truths."

Thor's eyes were narrowed towards it, "Who sent you?"

The robot made almost a rewinding sound, one that you would find if you went back through a tape. Tony's voice recording came out, " _I see a suit of armor around the world."_

Bruce's eyes widened, "Ultron." He looked over to Tony who just stood there in shock; this wasn't what either of them was expecting for Ultron to come out like. This was like their worst nightmare - by the looks of it, they've created a murder bot. Everyone else was glancing at Bruce with confusion. Who was Ultron?

"In the flesh." Ultron replied, nodding his disfigured body towards them. "Or, no, not yet." He took that back and looked down at his body, "Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready…" He paused, moving about a moment. All of the Avengers were getting themselves ready, they could practically smell a fight coming. Agent Hill took out the gun hidden in her jacket while Dr. Cho started to budge away, knowing that fighting already was not her thing. She knows she'll lose if she even tried to fight, science was her domain, not violence.

Ava slowly and reluctantly took her hand out of Bucky's, moving beside him but mostly in front of the others who didn't exactly have the best accelerated healing like she, Bucky, Steve or Thor did. Bruce couldn't be included because they really didn't want a Code Green right now.

Natasha was the one to question next, "What mission?" She too was edging towards Bruce, almost like protecting him from getting hurt. Because if he did - the big guy would come out to play.

" _Peace in our time."_ As Ultron finished, four of Tony's flying robots smashed through the wall and headed straight towards them on a warpath to kill.

One of them went straight for Agent Hill, Rhodes and Steve - Hill and Rhodes ducked but Steve kicked up a metal table into the air, throwing it in the robot's path. Unfortunately, he was knocked back meters away, landing with a thud. Agent Hill began firing her weapon at the machines.

Another went straight for Thor, he used his hammer to smash the robot on its side, flying it across the other side of the room before banging into the wall.

The third one went straight for Bucky and Ava; without even thinking, they lifted one of the sofa's together with ease - throwing it towards the oncoming machine. The sofa pushed it into the floor with a crunch; after this, they split up to help the others.

Rhodes was thrown out of one of the internal glass windows, landing him on the level below, essentially knocking him out cold.

Clint slid underneath one of the tables hidden away, he knew that without his bow and arrows - he couldn't do much either, he would just get in the way of the people who could actually fight these things without the chance of dying.

Natasha dragged Bruce with her and threw themselves over the bar for cover, but this was also where she stashed her security weapon. You never know when a gun might come in handy these days.

Tony grabbed a sharp implement before jumping up on the fourth robot; the machine tried to shake him off but Tony was stubborn, he hung on so he could use his plan to kill it.

Steve jumped onto his one before starting to punch it, but unfortunately, it flew back into the wall, crushing Steve behind him. He fell to the floor with a grunt.

"Ava!" Bucky called from the other side of the room, having tried to help Thor with his murder bot. Avery twisted towards the voice after having herself thrown across the room by Thor's bot too - she was going to have a sore back in the morning just like Steve. Bucky had in hand his shield and he threw it towards her, she grabbed it and almost without thinking, she threw it towards the bot trying to kill her brother. It smashed into a few dozen pieces, killing it dead.

Two down. Two to go.

Thor threw his robot over the railings and it tore in two. This robot was stubborn like Tony, it started to fly upwards and immediately caught sight of Dr. Cho hiding behind a couch. He started to raise his gun-hand, but was cut short by Bucky grabbing him from behind and throwing him across the room. "Thor!" He shouted, but the God already knew what to do.

Thor raised his hammer and smashed the bot once and for all, destroying it.

"Steve!" Avery shouted. Steve turned to her much like she had done with Bucky; she threw the shield towards him and he directed it's path towards the last bot that Tony wasn't dealing with. Steve had thrown the shield towards the one that originally went after Bucky and Ava, it obviously didn't want to die just yet until the shield hit it.

Tony was wiggling the sharp stabbing tool inside the neck of his bot, looking for the right kink. He stabbed it further in, and the bot died instantly, making the side of his body collide with the staircase painfully as he dropped from the sky, his body tumbled into a pile of broken glass lying on the floor he fell in.

As the fight stopped and finished, everything went silent until Ultron spoke once again.

"Well, that was dramatic." It's like the fight hadn't even affected him, only made up his mind on something. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through."

"You want to protect the world." He continued. Avery and Bucky went up to stand beside Steve, knowing that if Ultron decided to fight again, they'd wale on him first. "But you don't want it to change … how is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve?"

Ultron moved to pick up the remainder of one of the robots that had been split in two. "With these? These puppets." He crushed the head of it, with a tightness of rage.

"There's only one path to peace … the Avengers' extinction!"

Thor was having enough at this point, he threw his hammer straight for Ultron and hit him - the robot went flying back, it's functions crushed too deeply to survive working. Ava was twitching for one of those shields because if Thor hadn't killed that thing - she would have. She didn't like the sound of what he said either 'The Avenger's extinction'. It made a deep anger grow inside of her. The hammer went flying back to Thor's hand and the last words of Ultron's robotic voice echoed through the air.

" _I had strings … but now I'm free."_

 **Note: Wow, a very long chapter (and end-chapter note!). So, I have two announcements actually, here we are.**

 **The date for me leaving work permanently has changed; instead of the 30th (three days before I leave for college), it's not the 18th of December less than two weeks. The reason being was that I've been thrown back as a cashier and ripped away from a job I actually loved in that place, let's just say pissed and angry was an understatement. You know, I've asked for nearly 5 months to be changed to another department before October and being dumped back as a cashier is like being spit in the face. So in short terms; screw them - I'm leaving.**

 **So obviously, this means I'll have bucket loads more time on fanfics as long as moving to the new house doesn't require too much time. I now have a new goal - finish 'Saviours' by Jan 1st. Think I can do it?**

 **A POLL WILL NOW BE UP FOR WHICH MOVIE YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO DO A FANFIC FOR NEXT!**

 **Anyway, enough of that…**

 **Review, Follow, Fav!**


	11. Aftermath

**Okay, I honestly just realised that Sam and Rodney were actually two different people – they look so alike! Or is this just me, I keep getting them mixed up. It wasn't until I saw the different clothing all of a sudden during the party and this scene. Sam must have left the party before the Avenger's hammer scene. It's a good thing I realized now before I got any further in because I had to re-edit the last chapter to get it right, haha.**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Aftermath**

"All our work is gone." Bruce breathed in shock … like this day couldn't be happening, his eyes darting around the lab area where he and Tony had been practically hiding in for the past couple of days. "Ultron cleared out, using the internet as an escape hatch."

Steve shook his head, almost disgusted by the name. "Ultron." He scoffed, not believing how two members of his team could go behind they're his back and create a monster (even if they knew it at the time or not). The thing that pissed him and them and the rest off the most, was the fact that this secret project was kept a secret from them – they're own team.

Avery was keeping to herself, quiet and listening. She couldn't believe what was happening – after finding out what Tony Stark and Bruce Banner had done behind everyone's backs; she couldn't help but feel a tremendous amount of anger run through her veins. She didn't know much about Shield other than what the boys had told her, but she knew Hydra and everything connected with it. And that's where her anger laid. Those two idiots had basically stripped the Avengers' of their identity and exactly copied what Hydra and Shield were to the point. The Avengers' were supposed to be different from both Shield and Hydra, but right now, she couldn't even see that difference anymore.

Natasha sighed, having finished browsing through some of the computers, "He's been in everything." She informed them, twisting around so she was face to face with everyone else. All of them had come straight to the lab where Ultron was created, forgetting about the party and to see what damage Tony and Bruce had done. "Files, surveillance…" Natasha had gotten out of her party dress and shoes the moment she had a chance, now she only wore the jogging uniform that was rarely used but stored in her room in the Stark Tower. She crossed her arms, leaning against the side of one of the tables. "He probably knows more about us than we know each other."

Rhodes still held his damaged arm, the one he landed on after his descent down to the floor below – courtesy of Tony's destructive bots. "He's in your files, he's in the internet." He summarized briefly, pacing over to stand by Agent Hill who was still tending to her feet, shards of glass piercing at her skin. "But what if he decides to access something a little more exciting?"

Agent Hill knew exactly what he was saying, what they all should be dreading more than anything else right now. "Nuclear codes."

"Nuclear codes." Rhodes nodded. "Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can."

Natasha wasn't buying it, "Nukes?" She said with an ounce of doubt, "He said he wanted us dead." Although, if the machine did fire nukes towards them – they could actually result in dying anyway, but not only that, hundreds of thousands of people will suffer in death too.

Bucky shook his head, "He didn't say 'dead' though," He said, unconsciously bringing himself nearer to Avery - who actually stood next to him, both leaning against the table behind. She didn't move away from this, finding it oddly comforting having him so close – almost like a protector. She still wore her nightly outfit and even though he wouldn't say it (wanting Ava to still feel comfortable with him) he was really liking her choice of clothing tonight. _Very nice…_

Steve nodded, remembering the choice of words Ultron had indeed used. "Exactly, he said 'extinct.'."

Clint decided to pitch in. "He also mentioned killing someone." He looked pissed that they couldn't save this person who didn't have a name or face. But if Ultron had killed someone, where was the body?

Agent Hill frowned, confused, "But there wasn't anyone else left in the building." Everyone from the party had left hours before their little get together on the balcony.

"Yes, there was." Tony sighed with sorrow, grabbing his mini tablet before walking into the middle of the room. He flicked the device outwards and out popped up an almost ball of orange holographic pieces floating in the air, but it looked so broken with many scattered pieces.

Everyone in the room knew instantly who was killed when this was formed.

"What?" Bruce gasped, taking hesitant steps towards the remains of the AI everyone grew to love; Jarvis. "This is insane." Not believing how much damage Ultron had done to Jarvis, it was utterly unbelievable.

Steve bowed his head, feeling sorry for the now deceased AI. Even though Jarvis wasn't an actual human being like they were, he was still a part of the Avengers'. "Jarvis was the first line of defence. He would have shut Ultron down. It makes sense."

"No." Bruce shook his head, a frown forming on his lips, still looking at the broken pieces floating in the air. "Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis." He gestured to Jarvis with his hands, trying to make his point clear, "This isn't a strategy. This is … rage."

Large thumps filled the air, making their way with anger towards Tony. Tony only turned around the second he found himself dangling in the air while a hand slowly crushed his throat. It was Thor. He now wore his Asgardian warrior uniform, his hammer clutched in the hand that wasn't in the middle of crushing the life out of Stark.

"Woah, woah, woah." Steve straightened up, not wanting a fight to break out no matter how much he wanted to be in Thor's place right now, his hand around Tony's throat. Everyone else straightened up too, either thinking the same thing as Steve and not wanting more violence, or they actually want Tony to feel some more pain after what he's done.

Clint was one of the ones who wanted Tony to at least get a good punch from the God, "It's going around." He muttered to himself, narrowing his eyes at Stark.

Tony's hands were gripped around Thor's very strong one, barely any oxygen able to get into his lungs. "Come on, use your words, buddy." He croaked with very little breath going into his words, only Thor could have heard what he said.

Thor's eyes pierced him with anger, his hand clutching tighter. "I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark."

"Thor." Steve took a step forwards, seeing that no one else was going to try and stop this future-brewing fight, "The Legionnaire." He spoke the word that meant team member; because even though Tony _had_ screwed up, they needed him to help fix this monumental problem in front of them.

Thor paused for a moment before throwing Stark out of his grip, making the man stumble and grasp his own throat as the oxygen finally filled his lungs back up. He groaned with discomfort quietly, although never reporting that what Thor had done wasn't a bad thing. Tony knew he screwed up – although he won't fully admit it out loud – he just made a mistake. But now it was time to fix that mistake.

Avery could help but silently think, ' _What a shame'_ when Thor threw him down. But that was the Winter talking, the real Ava would never say yes to killing a man on her team, even if they've done something incredibly stupid.

Thor was still brimming with furiousness, "The trail went cold about 100 miles out, but it's headed north." He glanced around to his fellow Avengers', all feeling the exact thing he was when it came to the situation they've been forced back into. His eyes finally landed on Tony, and they glared at him. "And he has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, _again_!"

"Genie's out of that bottle," Natasha nodded over towards the Ultron bot they had destroyed only an hour ago, "Clear and present is Ultron."

Dr. Cho, who had been silently listening and internally trying to forget that she could have been killed tonight if it hadn't been for Bucky, was now staring down at the robot Ultron had been occupying in – the mess of a bot was laying on top of a metal table. "I don't understand." She said slowly, but it was loud enough to gain everyone's attention. She turned towards Tony, her eyes full of confusion, "You built this program." Tony made his way over to a surviving computer as she spoke. "Why is it trying to kill us?"

There was a moment of silence before something startling happened, and this wasn't a pleasant event. Tony laughed; he slowly began to chuckle but turned into full-blown laughter. Everyone was beginning to wonder if he had either finally gone crazy, or he just doesn't get how serious his actions could become. Banner was standing next to him, shaking his head silently with panic staring into fill his eyes. Everyone else wasn't finding this predicament funny – so why the hell was he?

"Do you think this is funny?!" Avery finally spoke up; her tone was deadly calm but you could almost sense the undeniable murder in her voice. She stopped leaning against the table with Bucky, but her arms were still crossed against her chest, her metal arm constricting with the need fight, to relieve the tension.

Tony finally stopped laughing for a second, turning towards her with an odd look. "No." He replied, looking as though a second ago he hadn't been laughing at what he had created in this very room. "It's probably not, right?" He looked around to everyone else. He was acting as thought he really was going crazy, "This is very terrible. Is it so-" He laughs again, "-Is it so … It is. It's so terrible."

Thor stepped forwards looking exasperated – he hated when a fight between friends and allies was in motion, not that he had exactly done anything to stop it. He started it actually. "This could have been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand."

Tony was having enough of the blame game, "No. I'm sorry." He apologised, but not really, "I'm sorry. It is funny. It a _hoot_ that you don't get why we need this." Feeling the urge of anger that none of them were trying to understand why he had to do this. What he was trying to accomplish.

"Uh, Tony." Bruce called from behind, looking uncomfortable, "Maybe this isn't such a good time."

Tony spun around to Bruce, "Really?" His voice rising, "That's it? You just roll over, show your belly every time somebody snarls?"

"Only when I've created a murder bot." Bruce retorted, looking at him dumbly like this should be what he's doing too.

"We didn't!" Tony exclaimed looking defensive, "We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?" But all he got in return was a look that said ' _We were, and you knew that!_ '

"You were playing with fire, Stark!" Ava suddenly yelled, causing many people to jump but also Tony who spun around to her. Bruce was looking at her wide-eyed, seeing her eyes practically turn red with an emotion he couldn't seem to quite grasp with. She strode up to him, practically in his face now, "And you knew that! You just didn't care." She continued, Steve and Bucky stood there still in their stances, never seeing her like this before. And this outburst was different from both the Hallway and the gym.

Tony felt the need to counter what she was saying, "Of course I care! It's why I invented Ultron as a peace-keeping program."

Ava gave a hollow laugh before repeating mockingly, "Wow, _a peace-keeping program_." Narrowing her eyes dangerously, "How's that working out for you? I bet hundreds of people are already _dead_ because of your stunt." She paused, relishing in the realisation fluttering in his orbs but she didn't call it out, "You know what I think? … I think the man I'm seeing in front of me is an exact replica of Hydra just built into one body. They went head first into something they didn't understand too – and then, they created me, an emotionless soldier built to torture and kill under orders. The only difference is; is that they used me, a human who had a life beforehand and luckily I got my memories back so I could stop myself. But right now? You've created something much worse than Hydra did." She cocked an eyebrow, tilting her head with question. "So, what the hell makes you any different from them?"

Everyone was stunned into silence; you couldn't even hear anyone even breathing.

"The Avengers' were supposed be different from Hydra … from Shield." She paused, "And as far as I'm concerned – you've destroyed what's made the Avengers' who they stand for. We were supposed to be a team, but where you were a couple of hours ago, it was just a one-man's game."

Tony was silent for a moment, honestly stunned by how right she sounded. A great pit in his stomach began to form; he blinked, trying to think of a way to steer away from the subject she just rose. "Does anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole?" He looked around to everyone with his words, but they stayed silent. Apart from Rhodes that was.

"No, it's never come up." He replied, shaking his head but you could tell by his face he knew exactly what Tony was talking about and what he was doing. He too was still thinking about what Avery had said. How right she actually sounded, and by glancing to everyone else to see what they were thinking – he was sure their faces mirrored the exact same expression as him.

"Saved New York?"

Avery could understand the bravery, courage and sacrifice he had made that day. But it still didn't give him the right to go behind their backs like this. A big part of her was thankful to Tony after hearing that he had saved everyone from a nuke that day – it was one of the things her brother had mentioned during one of their sharing sessions.

"No, never."

"Recall, that?!" Everyone who had witnessed that day did lower their heads – Tony had indeed saved the lives of New York that day, along with them. But parts of them knew that even that couldn't excuse him from what he's done now. He didn't think this through – he didn't include them in the debate. They were supposed to be a team; a solid one. A family of weirdly sorts. "A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing 300 feet below it." He paused, looking at everyone but mostly to Ava. "We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the livelong day, but that up there, that … that's the endgame."

"How were you guys planning on beating that?"

Steve wasn't smiling, "Together. Just like Ava said; as a team." He said with a hard tone.

Tony looked towards him. "We'll lose."

Ava moved back over to Bucky as he said. "Then we'll do that together, too." He stood up for his two best people in the world.

At that Tony gave up his fight, looking away before heading back near Bruce who still looked the most uncomfortable person in the room. Steve took a deep breath, "Thor's right." He declared, "Ultron's calling us out." He glanced to Bucky who nodded subtly, getting where this was going – then he looked to Ava; she sighed but gave one nod in approval. "And we'd like to find him before he's ready for us."

"The world's a big place." Bucky continued for him, and although he didn't realise it, his hand was now resting on the base of Ava's back, and this time she didn't flinch. She just went with it, liking the feel of his warm hand against her clothed covered skin. "Let's start by making it smaller."

 **Note: Well, took nearly a week for me to get this chapter up. Darn.**

 **Anyway, some of you probably have already noticed but I have put up the official poll for which Movie book you'd like me to write for you next. Here is the tally so far [FROM BOTH FANFICTION AND QUOTEV!]**

 **[1]** Harry Potter Fanfiction. Character ~ Lyla Kerrigan, The Girl Who Lived.

Harry is not the Chosen One, but he will be in the story as well as his parents {Alive!}

 **[2]** Hunger Games Fanfiction. Finnick/OC. Caliana Val; 69 Hunger Games Winner. (Spans between her own games - to Catching Fire - To Mockingjay)

 **[3]** Sorcerers Apprentice. Dave/OC

 **[4]** Bourne Legacy {And any other future movies connected – I think they're planning a number 2 movie?}. Aaron/OC

 **[5]** Kick Ass 1+2. Dave/OC

 **[6]** Transformers. Sam/OC

 **Just like before; this poll will continue to be open until Saviours is finished. If you wanted to just comment, you can definitely do that and I'll make sure to add them on for future tally's. Here is the current status.**

 **[1]** 6 {Harry Potter}

 **[2]** 5 {Hunger Games}

 **[3]** 1 {Sorcerers Apprentice}

 **[4]** 0 {Bourne Legacy}

 **[5]** 1 {Kick Ass}

 **[6]** 0 {Transformers}


	12. Sending a Message After Giving a Speech?

**I've planned through my chapters for this story, and it looks like there's going to be about 12 left. I can honestly say it's very unlikely I'll finish this by the time I leave for college, this sucks.**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Sending a Message After Giving a Speech?**

The next day everyone was more or less rested up, each made sure to at least get some sleep and a nice warm shower before really getting to work this morning.

Today, after the disastrous after-party yesterday and the event 'kill Tony with words', the Avengers' were going to plan they're next move. Just like Bucky and Steve had said; they needed to figure out what Ultron was up to – and make their plans to stop him as soon as possible.

Ava sat beside Natasha, skimming through a laptop Tony had stashed in a closet for personal security – he figured that if something were to happen to his technology, he would need something to rely on in his time of need. While Ava searched through this computer looking for any possible tracks, Natasha was doing almost the exact same but just going through different records to see if any had been changed in any way since last night. The two wanted to figure out what Ultron was more interested in during his path to destruction.

Tony was fiddling with things around his secondary lab area, not allowed to touch his computer due to Ava's request. She didn't think he could be trusted after yesterday, and it was going to take a lot more than a damn apology to take that ban away. Bruce was staying away with him, honestly just not wanting to screw anything else up.

Thor was pacing around, waiting patiently until someone could find something for him to go on. He was a fighter, a warrior – it was beginning to be slightly irritating that he couldn't really do anything other than watch idly with nothing to do.

Bucky wasn't doing much either, just sitting perched beside Avery in a chair – his head leaning against the palm of his hand, his focus drifting between the screens Avery kept flicking through, and her. Unfortunately for his male mind, she was certainly out of the party clothes but was now wearing some black pants, a white tank top, and her usual black jacket. She didn't seem to notice the constant glances Bucky threw at her, being completely indulged into the computer in front. Avery Rogers had always been okay when it came to technology, but the Winter was better with them.

Suddenly, Steve finally waltzed into the room having been the last to arrive – Clint followed closely behind. Steve had a tablet in his hand, something that Agent Hill would have usually passed over if anything pertinent was on there. Everyone looked up as the two entered, but they were more focused on the tablet he held. Steve handed it over to Thor who looked down at it with a stare of confusion – wondering what could be on there.

But on the screen was something none of them could have surely predicted. It was Strucker; dead. He was splayed against his cot but leaning against the concrete wall. There was a large sprayed spot of dark pooling blood stained against the wall behind him, as well as the very large hole in his chest – that man had been shot with a very high caliber gun of some kind. Next to his body, the words, 'PEACE' were written in what appeared to be his own blood. This was a message.

"What's that?" Stark inquired, a frown on his lips.

Steve sighed when Thor slapped the tablet against Tony's chest; everyone was still a little on edge around the guy. "A message." He replied. "Ultron killed Strucker."

Tony looked down to the tablet before giving a small sarcastic snort, "And he did a Banksy at the crime scene, just for us." Bruce peered over his shoulder, frowning at the picture – Natasha too was a little confused as to why Ultron would do this.

Natasha slowly shook her head, not understanding, "This is a smoke screen." She said, taking the tablet before holding it up for everyone to see – to prove her point. "Why send a message when you've just given a speech?"

There was a moment of silence before Bucky spoke up, "Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss." He murmured in realisation.

Ava let out a sigh, bending her neck to the side to let out a satisfying crack. "All the files on these machines that were connected with Strucker have been erased." She told them, leaning back in her chair before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Not everything, though." Steve shook his head, an idea coming to mind. "There must be written copies of everything; a failsafe just in case something like this ever happened."

Tony's eyes lit up with his usual smirk forming on his lips. "And I know just how to get them."

…

Not even an hour later, everyone was digging into a dozen or so banker's boxes, all full to the brim of papers and files. They were looking through the files to find anything suspicious, but going through all this, it really makes you appreciate the beauty of modern technology.

"Known associates," Tony mumbled to himself, throwing another file that could possibly mean something to them on the table. He shook his head, looking at how thick the file looked – at least 5-7 inches thick from what he could see. "Baron Strucker sure had a lot of friends." Not good ones either.

Bruce couldn't help but comment, "Well, these people are all horrible." He mentioned, looking through a file he too had found. It had even more 'friends' inside this one that loved to get cozy in with the man.

Steve suddenly looked up, realising something that had been said in the past. He couldn't believe he had just remembered now. "Avery." He called over to his sister, walking in with another box in his hands. He moved closer to everyone so he could be heard.

Ava looked up to him, creasing her eyebrows with confusion. There was a tone in his voice that she recognised as remembering something. "What is it, Steve?"

"Isn't there anything you can remember on, Strucker?" He inquired. Remembering back in the hallway when she practically threatened Agent Hill, how she had mentioned Strucker and the twins. That she had been the one to recruit Wanda and Pietro into the experiments that really did change them in the end. "You recruited the twins, isn't there anything that might be helpful?"

Ava had been going through her own box, completely filled to the brim of anything personal related to Baron Strucker. When Steve asked, she sighed with great defeat, running a hand through her hair before shaking her head from side to side. "No." She said. It wasn't that she couldn't remember, it was the fact that she had only seen the man twice. Her work had mostly run through Hydra and she just went where they needed her to go. "I was only to recruit two people with a great thirst for revenge; I wasn't allowed to question anything." Her eyes flickered over to Natasha; it had nearly been the same even with the twins, but this time, the twins wanted to fight. She felt a great pit of sadness and hatred for herself build up – how could she have done that? She manipulated two children into Struckers life-threatening experiments. How could she have done something like that and ruin two children's lives forever?

There was a moment of awkward silence; all the Avengers' knew that Ava's past was both complicated and sometimes horrific. Even if they didn't know to the full extent when it came to the dark side of her – but right now, they just couldn't picture her actually trying to bring two young people into being like her. A weapon. They also couldn't help but let a small build of curiosity churn inside of them when it came to her past – what kind of things was she made to do during her years in the dark?

Tony was about to ask something to her, but something else caught his eye instead. A file that Bruce was flipping through. "Wait!" He called over to Bruce, wanting the man to halt before he threw the file away to the side. "I know that guy." He realised, looking over to the familiar face. One that he hasn't actually seen for a while; it was just one of those faces you really couldn't forget.

Everyone stopped to stare at him, all wondering how Tony would know someone out of all these criminals. None of the acquaintances of Strucker had been on a good side, only bad. Tony reached over a grabbed the file from Bruce, taking a closer look to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"From back in the day. He operates off the African Coast. Black Market arms." Tony glanced up for a moment, feeling someone staring at him with something other than curiosity. It was Steve; looking to him with question – pretty much asking with his eyes, ' _Why the hell do you know someone in the Black Market of weaponry?_ '. Tony suddenly got defensive from the look, "Hey, there are conventions. All right? You meet people. I didn't sell him anything." He promised. He would never do something like that!

Ava moved over to see what the man looked like, and a slight flutter of recognition flooded her but she couldn't quite grab a hold of why or how she knew him. She frowned with a crease in her brow, "I've seen him before." She noted that he looked a little different from the picture in her mind, the man had been younger and very cocky. She could feel everyone's gaze on her but her head shook slowly from side to side, "I can't remember where or why, though-" She may have all her memories back, but there were two lives worth in this head or hers and 75 years of them. Technically, she has 150 years of memories + stored in her crowded brain. "- but I can tell it's not good."

"He was talking about finding something new." Tony continued for her, deciding to take the unwanted attention away. He could tell she was starting to struggle, memory-wise. Even after the harsh words that were spoken yesterday, he could understand everything she had said – all the truth she had told him. Last night had given him a good amount of time to really relay everything word she had spoken.

He could understand that there were going to be quite a few blanks in her memory even after her episode of most/all of them returning. Her memory recall was still trying to balance itself and again, he completely understood just like Steve and Bucky could. "A game changer. It was all very … Ahab."

Thor squinted his eyes, noticing something in the picture given to him. "This." He pointed it out – a burn pattern on the back of the man's neck. An engraving of sorts.

Tony glanced over, "Ah, it's a tattoo." He explained, "I don't think he had it."

He shook his head at what Tony was referring too. "Those are tattoos." He agreed, pointing to the dark black lines covering the neck and arms of the arms dealer. He pointed to the burn mark that looked to be a wonky rectangle with two curvy hooks either side, "This is a brand."

…

Everyone was crowding around the computer while Bruce searched up the meaning of the brand. The computer itself did most of the work; cross-matching everything in its database with a cropped photo of the mark to begin with. Not even a couple of minutes in, a result pops up.

 _Result: Thief._

"Oh, yeah." Bruce nodded, narrowing his eyes before reading the passage quickly in his head about the mark. "It's a word in an African dialect meaning 'thief'." He turned back to everyone with a cringe, "In a much less friendly way."

Steve frowned curiously, "What dialect?" He questioned.

Bruce turned back to the screen, "Wak-wek-wakam-" He really couldn't pronounce it correctly, nothing sounded right through his voice.

"Wakanda." Ava guessed without him even finishing the struggling word, seeing the written words on the screen. She leaned against the table next to Bucky, her arms crossed against her chest with her head lowered. She shook her head, running a hand through her hair with a tightened fist – how could she had forgotten?! Everything about the man started coming back to her.

 _God! What had she done?!_

No one else seemed to see the different shifts in Ava's emotional state – they didn't realise she had started staring out into space.

Tony was looking over to Steve and Bucky, and they were looking to him. Bucky's vision instead caught Ava, though, his eyes starting to fiddle with concern. "If this guy got out of Wakanda with some other trade goods." Tony started, his tone suggestive and not in a good sense.

"I thought your father got the last of it?" Steve said, looking confused but understood what Tony was insinuating. Clearly remembering Howard Stark stating that the last of the Vibranium went into both his and Bucky's shields – leaving nothing left, not even scraps.

Bruce was looking at them with confusion written in his features, clearly not understanding a word they were talking about. Everyone was pretty much mirroring that apart from Bucky and Ava. "I don't follow." He stood up from the computer chair, "What comes out of Wakanda?"

Ava finally gritted her teeth angrily at herself, her hands tensing over her arms – the pressure getting tighter by the second. "Vibranium. The strongest metal on earth." She replied without looking over to them, her voice turned almost emotionless. She glanced down at her own arm, and the red star posted on it practically stared at her. "It's what the shields are made of … it's what my arm is made of." She paused, now feeling everyone's gaze on her. "Iysses Klaue – Hydra didn't want my arm to be damaged in any way or to rust every time I came out of a stasis coma; so they ordered me to assist him in getting the Vibranium. Gaining just enough to make my new arm."

Bucky blinked, shocked, "How much was there?" He took another glimpse at her arm but for a really good inspection this time. Glancing at his shield sitting over to the side, it looked exactly the same. The same shine to it and at the same shade of pencil grey added to it. How did they not realise it earlier?

"More than a lot." She finally looked up to them. There was no way they could afford Ultron getting that Vibranium, it would simply be a disaster after another. They needed to get that stuff first and away from his metal, destructive hands as soon as possible.

"And I know exactly how to find him."

 **Tally – Movie after Saviours!**

 _*If you have not cast your vote yet, I would suggest you do after reading this*_

 _*You can vote either by comment or through my Fanfiction/Quotev Profiles*_

 _ **[Wattpad + Quotev + Fanfiction]**_

Harry Potter – 11 Votes

Hunger Games – 16 Votes **{WOW!}**

Sorcerers Apprentice – 5 Votes

Bourne Legacy – 2 Votes

Transformers – 1 Vote _{Awww…}_

Kick Ass – 5 Votes


	13. Mind Warped

**For Ava's mind-warp courtesy of Wanda; it will be a little different. Because of the two identities, she'll have two that are slightly mixed together. THEY WILL BE SHOWN IN ITALICS!**

 **And I didn't want to jump straight into the confrontation between Ultron and the Maximoff's with the Avengers. I wanted to start the chapter off from the scene the Maximoff's actually came in.**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Mind Warped**

 **Salvage Yard. African Coast.**

In a lake full of dirty water, a stationed tanker ship sat among another dozen ships. This ship in particular; was owned by Iysses Klaue – the arms dealer. The boat was jam packed with workers, mostly with coloured skin, doing his dirty work – making missiles and other weaponry that he would later sell to the highest bidder.

In a small office inside, a place where he was able to observe every worker from a good distance – was the very man who ran the show.

"Don't tell me your men swindled you." Klaue yelled in a pissed off manner, his hand against the glass of his wall-window as he spoke to the man on the other end of the phone line. He was having a conversation through speakerphones. "I sent you six short-range heat-seekers and got a boat of rusted parts." His accent was clear in his voice; his attire was grubby and dirty like he hadn't had a chance for a shower in days. His hair was semi-long as if it hadn't been cut in over a year too and the brand on his neck was easier to see with the red rimmed lines around it.

Klaue turned towards his telephone, glaring at it with narrowed eyes as if the person was actually the phone itself. "Now," He started, walking towards it with a pointed finger. "You will make it right – or the next missile I send you will come very much faster." His finger slammed down on the 'end' button, effectively ending the conversation with his last words floating in the air. Next, he took another call, one he had to place on hold when the man he was just talking too, decided to upset his day.

Klaue started to make a sickly smile on his lips, "Now, Minister – where were we?" He started to talk again, but before another word could be said on either his end or whoever this 'Minister' was – the power completely cut out all throughout the ship. The whole boat plunged into darkness, making the guards who were higher up in the chain get out flashlights down below, making sure the men still did their work. Klaue just blinked, confused as to why that happened – this had never happened before on his boat. A feeling inside just knew that someone had tampered with his lighting system.

When the machines powered down as well, some of the men down below started to get more than a little antsy. Many of them didn't like the darkness. The guards took control of them before any got too out of hand.

Klaue narrowed his eyes, definitely knowing something was up now. But what was it?

His hand slowly made its way over to the handgun lying on his desk; his eyes darting around with caution. He wouldn't be made a fool. He looked towards the hallway, and just as he raised his gun towards the area, something moved – initialising his instinct to shoot. And he did; only thing is that his bullet never hit anyone simply because once a 'whoosh' had sounded through the air and his body was toppled over slightly; the bullet was now sitting back on the desk.

Klaue took a moment to readjust himself but turned when he heard a sigh from the corner. And standing there; was a young male about half his own age, with bleach blonde to silver hair with the roots of a dark brown to it. He was a well-structure lad, probably very strong and had an aura of confidence and slight cockiness to him.

Another person decided to enter at that point, making his head turn towards the newcomer. It was a female, looking to be the same age as the other. Her hair was long and had a brown texture to it, but there seemed to be some flakes of red mixed in when the emergency light above shone against her. The male kept glancing to her, almost protectively. Klaue would have taken it to be maybe a good friend or lover relationship, but in this case, they looked particularly similar. Siblings perhaps?

"Ahh, yes!" Klaue nodded to himself, realizing who they were. The man Strucker and some pictures finally made it's way up to his memory. "The Enhanced." These must be the twin siblings that were spoken so highly off – the only two to survive the experiments. "Strucker's prize pupils." He didn't seem to be worried about what might happen to himself – he felt completely eased and safe in his little cozy office. He knew they wouldn't harm him – from what he could tell, they weren't killers like him … or Strucker. They just simply want long-awaited revenge.

He sat down on his swivel chair, leaning over to grab the small pot of mixed candies. He held them out towards the twins, being abnormally polite. "Do you want a candy? Hmm?" He waited for a moment, glancing between the two with a raised eyebrow, but neither made a move towards the sweets. They couldn't be filled with poison; he ate at least ten a day himself. After shrugging, he placed the plate back on the desk – getting to business as usual. It's obvious they wanted something, and it was pretty clear from the moment he saw them that they weren't the ones in charge. So who was it if it wasn't Strucker? He already knew the man was dead.

"I was sorry to hear about Strucker." He told the twins, not really acting very apologetic about it. He honestly couldn't care less about the man. He knew what he was getting into right from the start. "But then, he knew what kind of world he was helping create." He spoke his mind with a grin, "Human life. Not a growth market." He noticed a flicker in the male's eyes [Pietro the name was if he could remember correctly], he seemed to glance towards his sister – they both had creased eyebrows, a sign of confusion. He started to grin a little more, the poor bastard never told them the real truth. Poor things.

"You didn't know?" He taunted, leaning forwards so his elbows rested on his knees. "Is this your first time intimidating someone?" They were very lacking in that department if so. He shrugged again, "I'm afraid I'm not that afraid."

At that, the woman [Wanda] narrowed her eyes towards him, taking a stride, "Everybody's afraid of something." Her accent came out strong. Knowing her power best.

"Cuttlefish." Klaue stopped her in her tracks; he gave her a point blank answer of what he's afraid off. Knowing that she couldn't use it to intimidate him since he knew about her power and what it would do. Wanda looked at him a little weirdly when he said that, her head tilting to the side. "Deep sea fish. They make lights, disco lights…" He imitates a cuttlefish, using both his voice and hands to do so. "…to hypnotise their prey, and then-" He made a grabbing motion, indicating the cuttlefish had caught it's prey. As he finished, he looked between them, "I saw a documentary." He explained, "It was terrifying."

Another 'whoosh' sounded in the room, and in less than a millisecond, Pietro was now standing in his original spot placing a sweet in his mouth. He had gone and grabbed one of the previously offered candies on Klaue's desk.

Klaue just stared at him for a moment, before turning back to Wanda with a more serious façade. "So, if you're going to fiddle with my brain … and make me see a giant cuttlefish, then I know you don't do business. And I know you're not in charge." This time, he rose from his chair, puffing out his chest intimidatingly, "And I only deal … with the man in charge." Taking a few paced steps towards the twins.

As he spoke, the man never realised a large robot man flying up to position himself just outside his glass window. The twin's eyes flickered over to the one they pretty much follow; Klaue didn't pick this eye movement up. Never thinking that anything could be flying outside his window.

It was until the glass shatters behind him and his body flew through the air that it made him aware of what was happening. He tumbled out into the hallway, landing harshly on his back with a groan. Shards of glass pierced his skin painfully, making horrible grunts fill the air.

The robot; who was at least twice the size of a fully grown man now crouched over Klaue's body. "There is no man in charge." He told the human, ignoring the fact that he had hurt the man he wanted to do business with. His eyes glimmered ruby red, piercing Klaue right down to his very soul. "Let's talk business."

…

Away from the office, Klaue brought everyone down to where he hid all his Vibranium. With the value it held in every market around the world, he knew that keeping it hidden and safe away from prying hands and eyes was a must. He went through a lot to get all this for himself; even if he had help from a girl all those years ago.

An area that had been locked all the time; Klaue punched his code into a secret machine, and slowly but surely, a hidden second level started to appear – almost as if this hidey hole was an elevator. A cupboard with a secret second level. Only his code would work in getting to the Vibranium. There was a lot of it too; all within tubes. Here and there he would sell one or two when his income was becoming low – it was a great source of money when needed. And he always had a juicy buyer willing for more.

Klaue grabbed a tube from the display before passing it over to the robot; Ultron, as he had been told. Wanda and Pietro were looking at the substance with slight interest, but something under their skin didn't feel right – Ultron hadn't actually given them a full answer to where the rest of the Vibranium would be going. They knew he wanted to make himself a better suit to wear – but where would the rest of this strong metal go?

Ultron grinned, looking down at the tube with accomplishment, "Upon this rock, I will build my church." He held it up so the light from the emergency power shone against it. It looked beautiful to him and soon his plan with commence. "Vibranium." After a moment, he chucked it over to Pietro who caught it with one hand.

"You know," Klaue began, looking a little nervous knowing that this robot was indeed more than capable to kill him. Even his lackey behind him wouldn't even be able to do anything; this robot could tear everyone on this boat apart with ease. "It came at a great personal cost." He said, rubbing the brand against his neck with unease, remembering back to the day he got it. He looked back up to Ultron, more confidently speaking, "It's worth billions." He wanted his fair share of the money if this machine wanted his Vibranium.

Ultron just looked at him, before chuckling. His head suddenly tilted back, his eyes closing for just a moment. A second later, his eyes reopened to stare back at Klaue. "Now so are you." He replied.

A cell phone 'buzz' filled the air; it came from the lackey's pocket. "It's all under you dummy holdings. Finance is so weird." Klaue looked over towards the phone, it's the one that was connected to all his account that deal with both his outgoing and incoming payments. From what he's seeing here; he's getting wire transfers of millions and billions of dollars.

"But I always say … 'Keep you friends rich and your enemies rich, and wait to find out which is which.'" As Ultron finished his sentence; both Klaue and his lackey slowly looked up at him with narrowed eyes – both hearing that verse before – from the playboy billionaire, Tony Stark. An assumption began to brew in their guts; he must be one of Tony Stark's robots. This must be a ploy of some kind.

"Stark." Klaue said bluntly.

Ultron was confused. Huh? "What?"

Klaue almost sneered as he said, "Tony Stark used to say that to me." He hated the guy with full despise. "You're one of his."

His own look of sickness and hatred formed on Ultron's face, "What? I'm not…" He exclaimed, getting pissed off faster than ever at the horrible statement. He was angry – never make a robot like him angry. Ultron reached forwards and grabbed Klaue's arm; he slung it up in the air so the man was unable to protect it. Klaue grunted at the action and before his lackey could pull the trigger to his gun, Wanda stopped him with her telekinesis. This time, Ultron was the one to sneer with hatred. "I'm not. You think I'm one of Stark's puppets? His hollow men? I mean, look at me. Do I look like Iron Man?"

"Stark is nothing!" Ultron didn't even realise what he had done until the moment his arm shot downwards, slicing Klaue's arm off. Klaue yelled in agony and stumbled backwards with his decapitated arm now lying dead on the ground. Ultron now had the decency to have a little sympathy for what he had caused, but anger still brewed underneath the surface. "I'm sorry … I'm, oh! I'm sure that's going to be okay." He assured the pained man, "I'm sorry. It's just that I don't understand. Don't compare me to Stark!" He roared. He kicked Klaue in the face and the man went tumbling down the stairs; a set that had been behind him.

"It's a thing with me. Stark is … he's a sickness!"

"Ah, Junior." A new voice entered the area; Tony's Stark's cocky tone. Both Ultron and the Maximoff twins turned towards him, and they watched as he touched down on the small bridge connecting the two sides. Behind Tony was Thor, Captain America, and Lieutenant America. Also, much to the Maximoff's surprise, they saw the Winter Soldier standing with them too. They could tell it was her by both the familiar clothing and just by her face. She hadn't been wearing a mask when they last saw her, and that was many years ago now.

Pietro and Wanda glanced at each other, both their eyes widened by seeing Winter standing there … with the Avengers'! They couldn't help but tell small differences to the woman they were seeing. She looked less emotionless and her hair had grown a lot longer. Her attire was a little different but still the same, more modern as far as they could tell and she stood closer to those American Heroes everyone in the world knew about.

"You're gonna break your old man's heart."

Pietro threw the tube of Vibranium to the side; too interested in the scene in front of him. He was interested to see why Winter, a woman who both recruited him and his sister, and had stayed with them for a period of time was now standing with people she used to call the enemy. Was this a trick?

Wanda had the bigger connection to Winter the moment they met; she looked up to her. And when she disappeared, it hurt. She didn't understand the scene in front of her – did someone used her own powers against her to envision this sight?

"If I have to." Ultron said.

"Winter?" Wanda was the first to speak, but her voice wasn't so strong like before. It sounded hurt and hesitant. "Is that you?" She could feel Pietro standing closer to her.

Avery looked over to them, trying not to flinch at the killer's name. The name 'Winter' just made her think of all the bad thing's she's done in her lifetime, all the people she's killed. She really needed to work on trying to be more comfortable with being called that again. She knew that being an Avenger, and having that as her second name would have to make her get over the troubles. "Yes, Wanda." She tried to muster up a smile, but just seeing the twins standing there on Ultron's side made the anger for herself grow. It's all her own fault that the twins are in this kind of life. They should be in school, growing up like regular kids and living young adult lives. Not fighting a war, they shouldn't have to get involved in no matter how much they wanted to. "It's me."

Ultron looked over to her, "Ah, yes." He nodded, looking Avery up and down. He had read all the files on this woman just like with all the other Avengers – but hers were a little more interesting. "Avery Rogers, or better known as 'The Winter soldier'. The killer, the torturer and the assassinator. There are many words that describe you, Commander. But mainly, you were just Hydra's tool for destruction."

Ava made her face emotionless, trying not to let any of those words get to her.

Thor was the one to speak afterwards, not wanting today to become a blood bath.

"Nobody has to break anything – no one has to fight."

Ultron turned to him, retorting, "Clearly you've never made an omelet."

Tony looked to his fellow Avengers' next to him, "He beat me by one second." Obviously about to say the exact same thing as Ultron had.

"Ah, yes. He's funny. Mr. Stark" Pietro finally spoke, looking sarcastic with his words but his eyes did flicker over to Avery. They never knew her name was 'Avery Rogers', why had she not told them? They had shared a lot about themselves with her – so why didn't she? He moved to stand beside Ultron, in front of his sister. "It's what? Comfortable?" Gesturing down to the already prepared missiles underneath the bridge they stood on. Remembering back to what happened to him and his sister back when they were just little kids. "Like old times?"

Tony shook his head, currently inside his Iron Man suit. "This was never my life." He denied.

Bucky took a step forward, looking between the twins, "You two can still walk away from this." He told them, hoping they would walk away from this fight. None of them wanted to see these two hurt after everything they've been through – whether they were with Strucker or not in the beginning - it didn't matter. Ultron was the thing that needed putting down right now.

Wanda looked at him, nodding her head with a teasing purse to her lips. "Oh, we will."

Steve tried this time, "We know you've suffered-" Ultron stopped him with something between a scoff and a gagging sound coming out of his robotic mouth.

"Captain America and Lieutenant America." Ultron drawled with an amused tone, "God's righteous men. Pretending you could live without a war. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but-" Thor interrupted his mini-speech.

"-If you believe in peace." Thor overrode him, "Then let us keep it."

Ultron took a step towards the group, "I think you confusing 'peace' with 'quiet'."

"Uh-huh." Tony nodded but directed the subject somewhere else instead. "What's the Vibranium for?" Asking the one question that had been on every Avengers' mind, ever since they found out it was Vibranium Ultron and the twins were after.

"I'm glad you asked that." He replied, looking pleased that someone had finally asked about it. He was very boastful, much like Tony Stark – he shifted into a different position but moved again, a little closer towards Tony. "Because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan."

Ava moved in front of Bucky and Steve a little, able to sense a foreboding feeling brewing in her gut. Something about Ultron moving slightly made her a little on edge; she could almost sense the incoming fight ahead.

And she was right; suddenly Ultron thrust out his arm and used some kind of force to throw Tony back into the metal door behind them; the others having to duck so they wouldn't get hit. They knew Tony would be okay; his suit can take a whole lot of damage before anything gets to the soft center; him. At this point; as Tony flew back towards Ultron to fight him – Ultron's own henchmen bots joined the party as well as men with guns on Klaue's side.

Ava threw one of the bots into the wall with her metal arm after having more than a few tumbles with it; the impact of hitting the wall made a dent. But the machine didn't die, although she never expected it to. Apart from using her arm as a weapon; she had some kind of baton with an electrical charge running through it. She ended the life of her robot by thrusting the weapon up its core – electrifying it so much that its power source burst.

As the robot dropped to the floor; Ava felt herself fly into the wall, but to the other side of the bridge, down below a couple of levels. She grunted painfully as the impact hit her human arm rather than the metal one. She looked over her body, about to jump up but she felt another type of force pinning her down. She could see flickers of a mist covering her body; that's what the force was. "Wanda." She already knew who could do something like this.

When Ava's head turned towards the footsteps in front, she could already see Wanda standing there. The younger girl looked to her, her eyes glimmering apologetically but they were guarded at the same time. "I'm sorry." She said softly before her eyes glowed a brighter red, her hand reaching slightly before a flick of her wrist sent the mist buzzing around Avery's head.

The last thing Ava saw of the real world was Bucky and Steve throwing their shields towards two of the men with guns a few levels above; after that, her whole state of mind changed along with the scenery.

 _In a darkened room; a single silver table with various medical equipment surrounded the area. The atmosphere was cold and disinfected; the sterile smell was putrid. On the metal table, sitting in the middle of the room like a piece of art – was Avery. She wore a white dress, splattered with red blood, both old and new. Her hair was matted and filled with grease like she hadn't been able to shower in days._

 _Her eyes slowly opened and her heart rate sped up, realising she was strapped to a very familiar table. Her breathing hardened, coming out almost in gasps._

 _No! Not again!_

" _Help!" She screamed, the door was bolted shut as she struggled in the binds. Even her metal arm didn't seem to help her at all. Her human wrist started to become sore; scratches starting to appear on the skin._

" _Oh, my dear … you really shouldn't get so worked up." A voice came out of nowhere – one that she hadn't heard in so long. "It won't do you any good, will it?"_

 _Ava stopped the moment she heard the voice. No … it couldn't be! "Dad?!" She breathed, tears lining at her orbs. Her head turned towards the slowly moving footsteps; and the face of someone she long-thought dead was now standing under a single light shining from the ceiling. It was the man she remembered with his dark, more than a little scruffy hair and those soft piercing eyes she remembered, were now cold and distant. A horrible smirk she had only seen on someone like Pierce or Dr. Zola appeared on his lips. She had to blink a couple of times; but still, he stood there in the same suit he wore the day he died, his hand slipped into his pockets as he gazed down at her with a triumph look._

 _Her father; Adrian nodded, "Yes, Avery." His smirk broadened, "I'm back."_

 _Ava's mouth opened and closed for a moment, before finally finding the will to talk, "What are you-?" She couldn't think of anything to say. All she could see; was her father standing in Zola's position._

" _You didn't really think I'd miss everything I've worked for did you?" He spoke for her, finally taking out his hands, placing them on the side of the metal table as his face leaned towards hers. "I knew my serum would work for Hydra; after all, I'm the reason your still alive in the world today as you are."_

 _A few tears made their way down her paled cheek, "Why?" She chocked._

 _He grinned mercifully, "Hail Hydra." He picked up a scalpel. "Now, let's see how well your healing abilities are…" Avery sealed her eyes shut tightly, her head twisting the other way to avoid looking at her father – the one she had looked up to her whole life, even after his demise by a bullet all those years ago._

 _And for the first time in her life; she screamed in terror as her own father cut deep into her skin._

In reality; Ava was now leaning against the wall, her eyes staring into space. She didn't blink, she just stared at nothing. No grip on reality was in her grasp – her mind was somewhere else.

"Ava!" Bucky called; seeing her over there. He was gasping with relief, having just come out of his little vision Wanda so _gracefully_ gave him. Wanda may be a young adult, but her abilities were unbelievably powerful. She was able to make him experience his fear; and that was watching Avery die in his arms, not being able to do anything about it. So seeing Ava here; and although he hasn't fully realised she was currently in her own little horror world, the relief of knowing she was alive set in deep.

He skidded across the floor, now sitting on his calves as he took in her blank position. She had her arms wrapped loosely around her legs and didn't even react to his presence – not even by his voice. "Ava?!" He started to pat her face lightly, not wanting to startle or hurt her. But even that didn't wake her up. "Ava, wake up – it's not real." He pleaded for her to snap out of it, but Wanda's power was too strong.

A tear rolled down her cheek, still trapped in her head.

 _Ava found herself in a hallway; metal doors along the walls every few feet apart. She was running down them; her breath heaving within gasps. She ran, and ran … but it was as if the hallway just kept on going._

" _Ava…" A voice echoed down the hallway, a very familiar one. It was pained, a need driven in its tone. "Avery … help…" Another one sounded, but his voice was lower than the other._

 _Ava skidded to a halt; her cheeks were stained with the tears, and scar marks were spread all over her bloodied body. She looked like something out of a horror movie. "James? Steve?" Her voice came out with a crack when she realised who was calling her; her head spun around and in front of her was now a single door with the words 'EXPERIMENTATION ROOM' engraved on a silver plaque._

 _With a shaky hand, she twisted the doorknob and swung the door open. Her eyes widened, seeing something horrific, something that would only happen in her worst nightmares. "No!" She screamed in agony, her hand covering her mouth with a sob._

 _There stood herself as 'The Winter Soldier', she held a dagger in her hand that dripped with crimson liquid. Next to her was a large silver table with other instruments, all covered with blood. The Winter Soldier wore a smirk, one that looked identical to Dr. Zola's when he realised his plan was working. That Hydra had completely made the ultimate weapon._

 _The part that made her scream more – was the two lifeless bodies hanging from the ceiling by ropes, their feet never touching the ground. Their throats were slit; several gruesome marks and bullet holes were covering every inch of the skin. Their skin was pale … no heartbeat whatsoever._

 _James and Steve._

 _Her worst nightmare had come true._

 _She had killed her two boys._

 _She truly was … a monster._

 **Note: Review, Follow, Favourite!**

 **Hopefully, I'll be able to get the next chapter up before Christmas – but if not …**

 **HAPPY/MERRY CHRISTMAS!**


	14. Do the Nightmares End?

**I'm gonna be leaving for college in a week … ahh!**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Do the Nightmares End?**

Everything was silent; almost suffocating on the quin-jet hours after Wanda's effects had worn off physically. Mentally; the Avengers' were still suffering, just silently in their hearts. Only Tony and Clint were able to steer clear of the effect Wanda's power created; although, even though Tony still didn't realise it. Wanda had used her power on him the seconds before grabbing the sceptre back in Sokovia.

Bruce was one of them that got hit harder; the world literally saw the Hulk for who it truly was. A green monster with the power to create such devastation that the whole world would quake in fear because of it. His body was full of sweat; the memories of everything he had done under the influence of Wanda's power blasting at his head – a thin blanket was wrapped around his upper body, not having had a spare shirt laying around. And honestly, he wasn't in a very good mood to do anything other than replaying the horrors he had caused; suffering everything he deserved.

Natasha was closest to him; but she did nothing but stare blankly into space, also remembering her flash from the past. The past she never wanted to go back too; one that made her ledger dive deeper into a bloodied red. _The Red Room._ Her hands initially clenched without her mind being able to register it; the one main horror from her past came back to her in the full force of a living vision. She could feel everything she felt back then, smelt the same everything and it all felt so real. Her heart cracked with longing; that day something precious was taken away from her. Something she's always wanted … but can now never have.

Thor had a little more productivity running through him as he paced around slowly; and although his vision had shaken him, he drew out a thoughtful face. He rubbed his knuckles together; intentionally trying to replay the events in his head. Like he's trying to figure something out – find something he's missed. This vision was like no other … it wasn't so much of a horror show like his fellow Avengers' had. But it was a vision of a future; a path they were leading down.

He just needed to figure out what it all meant.

As for Steve and Bucky; they were sitting either side of Avery down on the floor, against the wall. She had only recently come out of her horrified state of mind, a lot later than the others. Steve was just holding her hand with his as her head rested against Bucky's shoulder, her eyes staring out blankly like Natasha. But this time; she was in the reality verse instead of being trapped in her head.

Ava had been the only one having been trapped for as long as she had; the others had come out nearly an hour before. They didn't really understand why she hadn't woken up nearer to the same time as them but they could just tell by the way she sat there now; her eyes full of fear and agony that what she saw was terrifying beyond words. The grip that she held onto her brother, it was tight. Like she would never let go again.

Bucky kept his arm tightened around her waist, keeping her head rested upon his shoulder blade. Occasionally, every couple of minutes, she just blinks … her head snapping up as her body tensed; she'd look either side of her and almost instantly, a breath of relief flows out of her mouth when she made sure they were still there.

The boys were doing everything they could to keep her grounded; even as they dealt with their own visions at the same time. From the way she was acting, though, everything she had seen inside that head of hers – it definitely wasn't pretty. From the way she constantly checked to see if they were there … to the way her eyes darted around their bodies to see if any marks were on them, it was clear that something had happened to them in her vision/s. As to what – they didn't know. All they knew is that it would have had to be horrifying to get her reacting this way.

It was like all the hard work of trying to bring her back to life … was now being torn down because of that girl called Wanda. Anger set deep within their souls when they thought of that girl.

Over to the side, Tony clicked on the video feed linking them to Maria Hill who was still stationed at the Stark Tower, as usual, handling everything that needed to be done. _"The news is loving you guys."_ She said, knowing all the Avengers' could hear. " _Nobody else is."_ She had been watching the news ever since the Hulk started to appear on the screens; automatically being dubbed as a terror figure amongst New York. " _There's been no official call for Banner's arrest. But it's up in the air."_

Stark nodded, only he was really paying attention to what the Agent was saying. "The Stark Relief Foundation?" He questioned, hoping his secondary team down below were already on site – beginning to piece back together everything that had been destroyed. As well as give medical treatment to all that were hurt.

" _Already on the scene,"_ Hill assured him. Through the screen, you could see her glance behind Tony's shoulder. She spoke quietly, _"How's the team?"_ Her tone concerned. She hadn't heard the full details; but if Wanda's power could make the Hulk turn on a city full of innocent people, then what would it do for the other members of the group?

"Everyone's…" Tony started but stopped – not really sure how to describe the way everyone was reacting to being out of their heads again. He was more concerned for Ava than anyone else though; she had taken more than twice as long to come back to reality, and not only that, she had two pasts to deal with which surely shouldn't have helped. Maybe that's why it took so long for her to come back to them? "…We took a hit." He decided to say, "We'll shake it off." Although he wasn't too positive on how quickly that would happen.

Hill nodded, understanding. " _Well, for now, I'd stay in stealth mode."_ She advised. " _And stay away from here."_

Tony didn't look particularly happy by that, "So, run and hide?" He didn't like running away from problems. But maybe she was right – everyone needed a chance to cool off.

Hill shrugged slowly in response, not really having anything better to say other than that. _"Until we find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."_

He sighed, taking a moment before replying, "Neither do we." Glancing behind him, observing the team that in his mind (and in Ava's previous words) he had single handily broken into little tiny pieces. Ava never really said it in those straight-forward words but the inclination was there. He pressed the 'end' button to the video feed; the screen went dark and the connection between him and Hill was severed. He went over to Clint at the pilot's station; beginning to chat a little as to where they were heading.

Bucky was resting his head against Ava's, her own now laying over his heart. She closed her eyes, trying to be content with the sound of his heart beating raced to her ear drums. She let out a slow, deep breath; trying to evade everything she had seen. A layer of sweat was still covering her skin, her own screams (among others) still almost echoing in her mind. She had to clutch Steve's hand tighter just to make sure he was still there too.

All those things she saw…

Her heart was tearing; it was like a bullet had been shot into it before it being yanked out as the blood still flowed around her body. She was in agony.

Wanda.

Avery couldn't believe it; she knew almost a hundred percent that she, herself deserved every bit of that nightmare for her past crimes and kills, but for it to be performed by a girl she protected. Even if Winter hadn't exactly been the best figure when it came to how good or bad should be shown; The Winter Soldier still protected them, just like she had with Natasha. Children were the one solid thing, apart from her boys, that brought out the better side of her even in the emotionless state.

"You're gonna be okay, Avery." James whispered, closing his eyes as he dug his face into her dark hair. He breathed in her scent, trying to remind himself that what he saw himself wasn't real. But even as he tried; he still knew that the day could happen. All that he could say to himself was promise that he'll make sure that day never comes. "It wasn't real … none of it was real."

A tear slipped down the side of Ava's cheek as her eyes slowly shut tightly, ' _But it was, James…_ ' She thought agonizingly to herself, ' _For me it was…'_

 **Note: Only an hour until Christmas…**

 **MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

 **Yes, this is a short chapter, but I wanted it to be separated from the Safehouse scenes. Dig into everyone's minds just after the Mind Warp effect. The next chapter should definitely be a LOT longer than this one. I'm just not sure when it'll be up, hence, why I am getting this down now.**

 **I hoped you guys liked it!**

 **Review, Follow, Favourite!**


	15. The Safe House

**Alright, I give in. Forget my idea; I'll continue with Saviours and make the separate fanfic for Civil War. Read the note at the end of this chapter too, please!**

 **This isn't very long but like the last chapter, this scene just needed its own chapter.**

 **Oh! And 'The Family Business' followers (Supernatural Fanfic) I spent a lot of time today writing up the third and last part to Phantom Traveler. I just need to edit it. I'm hoping to have it up by tomorrow before my 6-9pm class. If you like Supernatural and haven't read the fanfic yet, I would strongly recommend it!**

 **Enough of me; enjoy the chapter!**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Safe House**

Three hours later; the quin-jet landed in a large green field with grass growing as high up to a person's hips. As soon as the large exit door opened from the plan, the strong whiff of nature hit everyone's noses. It looked so pure, almost calming – over the small hill stood a large farmhouse with a barn several feet away.

It looked like one of those farms every farmer dreamed of owning.

In almost single file; everyone steadily walked towards the two-story house. Clint was taking the lead with Natasha; helping her walk as her coordination was still a little off after the vision she was pulled into. Bucky was doing the same with Ava, but she made sure to carry most of her own weight as she didn't want to be a burden. She knew James would detest to that, so she kept quiet not really wanting to speak anyway – letting him wrap his arm around her waist securely before helping. She hadn't said a word for a while now; the boys were beginning to worry.

The Avengers' were tired and where they were, it was early morning now. They had travelled all night with no sleep – they were too awakened by what had previously happened. Black bags were evident under many of their eyes; Thor was probably the only one who didn't feel as tired as the others, as an Asgardian like him didn't require as much sleep as a regular human. It was one of the advantages of being who he was.

As they came closer to the house; they took note that it was old, but many renovations had been done to make sure it kept standing. New paintwork on the outside looked to be nearly a year old, but it looked as bold as when it was first completed. A rusty pickup truck was parked in the detached garage and no tire marks on the dusty ground told them it hadn't been used in a while. The area was surrounded by trees and grassland; they wouldn't be surprised if the only grocery stores were miles upon miles away. The lot was very secluded; a great place for a 'safe house' as Clint refers it to.

Thor was the first to state his confusion when they stepped up onto the front porch. Clint was about to make his way inside with Natasha leaning against him. "What is this place?" He wondered out loud.

Tony shrugged, "A safe house." He quoted Clint's words.

Clint looked a little hesitant, "Let's hope." He murmured to himself but knew everyone else could hear him too. He opened the front door and the strong scent of chocolate brownies caught everyone's senses. Everyone followed him in; not really sure what to think. This place – it looked more like a … home than just a safe house.

Clint walked in a little further, peering in towards the kitchen. "Honey?" He called, knowing where and who that smell was being made by. "I'm home."

The living room, kitchen and dining room were compacted into one – the area was wall-less meaning everything was open planned. Suddenly, everyone turned towards the kitchen when a female, in her mid to late 30's appeared in the kitchen. Apart from Clint and Natasha; the other's blinked when they saw her. ' _Honey?_ ' They wondered silently. Remembering what Clint had said.

Suddenly, a woman just a bit shorter than Clint walked into the room holding a packet of colouring pens and craft paper. She had long brunette hair that reached just above her breasts, and under her shirt was almost a basketball-sized belly. She was pregnant; at about 5-6 months by the looks of it. At the first sight of seeing Clint standing there, surrounded by the other Avengers' – she was shocked, you could tell just by looking at her. But there was a sense of relief surrounding her aura, she was happy to see him okay and safe. Especially with everything that's being said on the television right now.

Clint gave her a sheepish smile, glancing at everyone standing around him. "We have company." He gestured behind him, taking a step towards her a little. "Sorry, I didn't call ahead."

She didn't care; a full blooming smile appeared on her lips as she stepped towards him, kissing him soundly on the lips. She wrapped him in a large hug, as well as she could with a largely occupied womb under her shirt.

Tony blinked, his brain not able to comprehend what was happening in front of him. And he was a genius. Wasn't Clint supposed to be the lonely one of the team? The one with no girlfriend or love life … other than Steve? "This is an Agent of some kind." He theorized wrongly.

Clint reluctantly relinquished himself from his wife's hug, turning towards his confused teammates (apart from Natasha). "Gentlemen," He glanced over to Ava who looked as equally puzzled. But he didn't notice that she was staring the woman beside him; or more particularly, her stomach. "Lady. This is Laura." He introduced his other half.

Laura looked a little flustered, waving shyly to everyone. "I know all your names." She said with a light chuckle. She's been wanting to meet her husband's teammates for a very long time, so this visit was a great day for her.

Suddenly, a lot of footprints sounded from upstairs, or more particular, the stairs. Clint knew exactly who was coming. "Ooh. Incoming." He murmured to himself, excited. Two young children appeared from the doorway, heading straight for him, both shouting, 'Daddy' or 'Dad' at the sight of him.

Clint grinned, "Hey, sweetheart." His said to his daughter, hauling her up into his arms securely. He brought his son into his side, kissing the top of his head before ruffling the growing hair on his head.

Everyone's reactions were pretty similar. Steve and Bucky were gaping like fish – Tony was having an even harder time coming up with an explanation that would suit his overexerted mind – Thor was just staring, shocked – Bruce looked a little uncomfortable, he loved kids, but they was a dreadful reminder of something he could never have. As for Ava; she swallowed hard especially when she looked at the little girl. Everything started to feel closed in like she couldn't breathe – she couldn't handle this, she needed to get out of here before she snapped.

The little girl looked like the one that reminded her of the past. Her first mission that went south.

Unaware of the turmoil Ava was experiencing; Tony relayed the same theory as before. "These are smaller agents."

The little girl looked up to Clint, "Did you bring Auntie Nat?"

To the side, a large smile lifted on Natasha's face, already feeling better. She caught the little girl's attention quite easily. "Why don't you hug her and find out."

The girl squealed with happiness, jumping out of her father's arms before rushing into Natasha's awaiting arms. Natasha sat Clint's daughter on her hip, bouncing slightly within a hug.

Steve felt the need to say something, to apologise for barging in their home without prior knowledge. "Sorry for barging in on you." He said towards Laura when Clint wrapped his arms around her again, but from behind this time.

Tony also felt the need to say something, words that were between sarcastic but with an indication of hurt. How come they didn't know about this secret life Clint was living? "Yes, we would have called ahead. But, we were too busy having no idea you actually existed."

Clint sent everyone an apologetic look, obviously knowing that they would be hurt when something this big was kept under the rug. But he needed to, to protect his family. He didn't know what he'd do if something happened to Laura or his children because of anything he's done. "Yeah, well, Fury helped set this up when I joined." He explained, being truthful. "He kept it off S.H.I.E.L.D's files and I'd like to keep it that way." He shrugged, "And I figure it's a good place to lay low."

Ava felt herself swallow hard; she felt Bucky move away from her slightly to murmur something into Steve's ear. The two of them were still clearly having trouble with the news that Clint actually had a secret family. And not just a secret girlfriend; but a whole wife and kids wad been hidden away. It wasn't until she felt a small tap on her right human arm that made her body tense; she looked down and saw the young boy, Clint's son. He looked up at her with awe in his eyes, his eyes constantly going to her metal arm with wonder.

"You have a metal arm." He said, a childish grin on his lips. "That is so cool. I'm Jeremy." But Ava didn't even smile in greeting, her mind turning a mile a minute once again. When she looked down at the boy; all she could see were the children she killed; the ones she maimed and tortured. Her heart clenched in agony so hard that her breathing began to heave, not even realising that the others could actually hear her either.

Children … the one hurdle she didn't want to jump just yet…

Jeremy was tilting his head with confusion, but also concern when he noticed the older woman start to act weirdly.

Bucky just moved to touch Ava's back and immediately at the feeling, she flinched away. She noticed the hurt appeal in his orbs but she just couldn't concentrate, it felt like she wasn't really in her body anymore. She couldn't figure out what was happening or going on; she felt the fear for everyone and herself the longer she stayed in this atmosphere.

It was then she noticed all the worried looks; even some measures of pity she was really despising at this moment, and every time she saw it. "I'm sorry." She swallowed once more, her eyes darted around the room to everyone standing there. She probably looked like a complete freak but she didn't seem to care. "I-I can't." She shook her head frantically, trying to keep her mind less muddled while trying to find the right words to use. "I can't be here - it's not safe with me here." And with that, she backed out of the room in a hurried pace and went right outside the door, bumping into one of the corner tables as she went.

She just needed to get out of here; she needed space. Somewhere peaceful that she could connect to nature; someplace like Central Park would've been good. But even she knew that being around children right now was a big no, and she wouldn't even be able to get there anyway at this point in time. They were clearly very far away from the park.

Avery was glad to hear that no one was rushing after her. She needed time to process everything that's happened today; and even everything that's happened before that.

Right now it just felt like layers upon layers of shit was ganging up on her – and she deserves it, she knew that. But it was beginning to become a lot to handle.

 **Note:** **Alright, so,** **I saw a comment about the Polyvore codes earlier so I'm going to clear this up now as well. The code is NOT a link to the clothing. You need to go to either my Fanfiction or Quotev page profile, there you will find a link to the site Polyvore. That code is what the clothing set is called. It'll be published on my Polyvore account. So that is where you'll find them.**

 **Anyway, here we are. REMINDER – I WILL NOT BE UPDATING REGULARLY FOR A VERY LONG TIME BY THE LOOKS OF THINGS or ever depending on how my courses work. It's just a matter of how my college life will turn out and if it's anything like this first week, damn, I'll have barely any time at all.**

 **Now that Saviours is back on; it does mean the poll will continue. From when I last looked; the Harry Potter fic was the one that was winning.**

 **I'm thinking the next chapter is going to have a lot of original content in it. Not 100% sure just yet, but I hope it'll be longer than this.**

 **Oh, one last thing. I'm editing Alive but not Awake all throughout. Well, technically I already have. I just need to upload it. There aren't any major differences just better grammar and sentencing. And spelling errors have now been corrected. It was mostly for my dad because I printed it out and sent it in the mail back home. I'm really hoping he'll like it.**

 **Follow, Fav and Review!**


	16. Forgetting Troubles

**It took me nearly a month to update, how amazing … not … lol**

 _Oh, I'm sure you're going to absolutely love the end of this chapter. Wink … Wink …_

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Forgetting Troubles**

The strawberry scented suds slowly trickled down Avery's back as the warm, near cold water drenched her body. She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed a little harder each time until her human skin was almost raw and blotchy, she couldn't seem to get rid of the dirtiness she saw on herself every day. She didn't cry, but traitor tears silently fell against her pale cheek.

Yesterday was like hell; not only had she been forced to relive her most terrifying nightmares that constantly plagued her, but other issues that should have been long forgotten had risen to the surface once again. It's like the Universe never seemed to want to give her a break – didn't she deserve one? But then, all those people she's maimed and killed over the years came rushing back to her - this was her punishment, for something she couldn't fully control.

There was one thing that always came back to her above the rest, though – why didn't she just end it all? Everyone would have been safe; hundreds of people would be alive today if she hadn't existed. When her scattered memories came back all those times before, why hadn't she just given up her life to save countless others? But in her heart, she already knew why she kept going. This was for two reasons…

James and Steve.

James Buchanan Barnes, the love of her life, her soul-mate. Steve Rogers, her younger twin. Even though she was sure all those times before that they believed her to be dead, she couldn't give up. It's probably why she started remembering a lot during her time as the Winter Soldier. There weren't too many triggers, unfortunately, but memories of her two boys were always the ones that started to bring her back. And even though she had all her memories back now – she still didn't feel complete. She felt cold and empty, like she couldn't be loved by these two people she's known her whole life.

Yes, both her boys have stated more than several times that her past didn't matter to them – that the things she's done or caused were the fault of Hydra and not herself, she just couldn't fully convince herself of that. And she didn't think that they really could fully forgive her, even after knowing them both for so long. She could remember the shock and disbelief her own brother felt the moment she mentioned the Maximoff twins being part of her doing, and she knew, deep down, he couldn't believe it to be fully true.

And at that; she knew that if he or James ever fully witnessed or imagined the more terrible things she's done in the past, they wouldn't be so quick to say otherwise.

But at the same time, she truly wanted to believe them. She wanted what her old life consisted of; the love James had expressed to her. She longed to be held, to be told everything would be okay and that this was just a rough patch in this dreadful, painful life.

Honestly, she was just utterly confused about everything.

Ava twisted the water knob on the wall to end the waterfall above her head. She drained as much water as possible from her hair before stepping out of the shower, standing on a furry bath mat underneath to stop the floor from becoming soaking wet.

Looking up from her spot, she stared at herself in the mirror plastered on the wall.

There stood a young woman with old, dark eyes glistened with a hazel tint. Her hair was long and dark, a thick solid black but a few lines of a dirty brown began to peel through. Her skin was pale, but still had some sort of a tan mixed in so it didn't look like she spent all her time indoors. Avery could almost see herself change in that mirror, standing next to her was a mirror self of the old her. A young girl with bright adventurous eyes that always sparkled in the light, her hair tied into a braid that started from the top of her head and made it's way down her back. The old her just screamed content and happiness whereas this new her, it screamed the complete opposite – fear and helplessness burrowed deep beneath a cold and hardened exterior.

Another fear deep in her heart was that when James finds out that she lost her ability to have children, that he would leave her. She wanted to believe deep down again that he wouldn't, but she learned all too soon that her eyes and heart couldn't be fully trusted again.

' _But that's not me…'_ Ava thought painfully in her head, thinking back to the old her, blinking to keep away the tears, _'…I'll never be like her again.'_

With a sigh and a large newly wrapped fluffy towel now around her body, she opened the bathroom door. She thought the bedroom would be empty since when she went in, no one had been around. But was proved wrong when she halted in her spot, finding herself looking over at James.

At the moment she opened the door, Bucky looked up. He had been sitting on the double bed, his hands locked between his legs, looking deep in thought.

After a moment of silence, Ava finally mumbled, "What are you doing here?" She questioned, wondering why he was sitting there as if he were waiting for her to come out.

James bit his lip for a moment in silence before replying, "We need to talk."

Before he came into the room, waiting for Ava to finish in the bathroom. Laura had come to talk with him; Clint's other-half. It was her that pushed him into finally getting the answers he so dearly needed, and some very needed advice on how to get through to the woman he loved.

Ava just shrugged, "What about." She countered, not reacting at all even as she stood in front of him with nothing but a towel on.

"You…" He paused, "…Me." He had been noticing how much she had been avoiding the kids; which in some sense, he could understand. When she started to open up a bit more, she had mentioned that kids had been killed because of her. Maybe they reminded her of that?

But it wasn't just that, he needed to put whatever she was fearing to rest. Just like Laura had said, he needed to prove to Ava that he was going to be always there for her. That he wouldn't run away when things would get tough. He needed to prove to her he loved her more than anything else in the world.

But what he wanted to do the most was to clear the air; she might not realise it, but he could sense the tension she held every day, everything that's built up inside of her begging to come out.

"Ava," He started, getting up from the bed with an exhaled breath. He started moving towards her, and luckily she didn't move from her spot. "I'm not going anywhere," He stated. "I'm not running and no matter how hard you try; I'm never going to leave you." His tone becoming hard, wanting to get through to her properly.

Avery kept looking at him, her eyes connecting with his. She could see the hurt brewing in those beautiful eyes of his, the pain he was feeling when he saw her in pain. But most of all, just in his words alone she could sense something she truly did remember from being just Avery Rogers all those years ago. Love.

"There's something bothering you." He continued. It wasn't just all the souls she's had to take since her 'death', there was something more. He wanted to know … he needed to know. "Please, just tell me." He pleaded, a crack in his voice apparent. He just wanted her to trust him like she used to. All these secrets she kept buried inside of her; if she didn't do something soon, she could explode and he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't risk losing her again.

Avery turned away, gripping at the towel around her body tighter, she didn't want him to see the slowly accumulating water appearing under her eyelids.

"Just like I told you back before you saved me from drowning … I'm with you until the end, Avery." Tears began to appear in his eyes, "I'm never going to leave you alone."

Some tears finally made their way down her cheeks, she sniffed, raising her head to the ceiling as if trying to keep even more tears from pooling over. Suddenly there was a silence, a deafening one where you couldn't even hear a damn thing.

Suddenly Ava started to speak, her tone soft but her bottom lip wobbled, she trying really hard not to crack. "Not only have I-" Her voice did happen to crack, "-Have I – murdered - a lot of children," She couldn't bare to look at him, the dozens of faces flashing before her eyes, the pools of water now trailing down her cheeks. "But I-I …" She cleared her throat before bucking up the courage, turning around to face him. He was listening intently, his eyes now fixed on her own again. "I can't have any of my own."

"What?" James suddenly breathed, as if he felt a punch in the gut, wondering if he had heard right.

"That's the big secret. I can't have any children of my own, James." She told him in a stronger voice. He stood there as if he were processing what was being said to him. She sniffed deeply, "It was one of Hydra's punishment techniques after I start to remember the first time." She began to explain, not being able to stop herself. It was now that she'll find out whether James would stay or not, this was the make or break time. "They figured that … that if you and Steve were dead … and that if I lose my ability to have a baby that … that I would stop fighting, that I would remain the Winter Soldier for good." As she blinked, several more drops of salty water ran down her cheek. "They didn't account for the fact that I would just keep on fighting anyway."

James just stood there for a moment; fully contemplating everything. Avery couldn't have kids anymore; Hydra had ripped the ability away from her as punishment – at this, anger bubbled deeply into his veins at the thought. Is that what she was worrying about? About whether he would care too much to want a child than to have her still by his side? If it came down to having a child of his own or Ava, the answer was plainly obvious. He'd want his Ava and nothing else. He loved her with every fibre of his being; no one could take that away from him. And if they couldn't have a child of their own like they planned all that time ago, then he didn't care, they'd figure something else out. And it's not like they were in the position to have kids anytime soon anyway, especially with all the crap that's gone on lately.

Without another word of internal discussion, he dispensed the gap between him and Ava, getting close enough so he could grasp her face gently between his hands. She jumped slightly, startled by the gesture and the human contact, but didn't react violently to it. She had obviously thought that he'd go storming out, never wanting to speak to her ever again. But she was wrong; he'd never, ever, do that to her, ever!

"Avery, I don't care if you can or can't have children." He told her softly, wanting to get through to her once and for all. He wanted his Ava back and he was more than determined.

"But-"

"-No." He stopped her. He looked deep into her eyes, and she stared back into his. "I LOVE YOU AVERY LOLA ROGERS." He said in a loud tone trying to get through to her, startling her, but lowered his voice once again as he continued. "Avery, please stop fighting me on this. I'm NEVER going to let you go and I'm NEVER going to stop loving you."

"You're not going to leave me?" She spoke in a delicate sort of voice, like her mind was finally being pulled back together, all because of this one man in front of her. Realisation and acceptance were starting to flash within her orbs – the thing James had been so desperate to see.

" _Never."_ He whispered, and it was just then, that both realised just how close they were in proximity. Their noses were nearly touching, James slowly stroked Ava's cheek softly and their breaths were heated – both hearts started pumping faster and their eyes never broke the connection, a swelling emotion brewing deep within.

And suddenly, time didn't seem to matter – nothing else on this Earth seemed to matter at this moment. Because just then, their lips crashed together in a very heated, passionate kiss and the towel being held around Ava's body, dropped to the floor in a puddle.

One thing led to another … and Ava knew right then, there was no more doubt in her heart.

James would never leave her, and that was more than she could ever wish for.

 **Note:**

 **Eep! As many of you can finally guess, they will be back together now.**

 _ **Bucky and Ava sitting in a tree**_ **… lol**

 **Anyway; I really, really, hope this was worth the wait and I'm really sorry it isn't any longer. But certain parts of the movie really just need their own chapter. I know it's been a month or two I think since I've actually updated 'Saviours', it just sucks, that's what it is.**

 **I have about 7+ assignments due in all subjects over the next two weeks so I'm literally screwed for time, I just really couldn't sleep tonight or last night so I've been updating** _ **a lot**_ **. Three times with 'Mermaid Magic' and now 'Saviours' once.**

 **Hope you loved it!** _ **I know I really did!**_ **Let me know!**

 **Fav, Follow and Review!**


	17. Nick Fury

**SURPRISE – ANOTHER CHAPTER!**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | Nick Fury**

SLICE.

Tony sliced in half the next foot long log from his pile, chopping it in half.

For a couple of hours; he, Steve and recently appearing Bucky had been chopping piles of wood for the Barton family. It was indeed a good stress reliever, especially when there wasn't anything else left to do at this point.

"Thor didn't say where he was going for answers?" Tony questioned the two American heroes, throwing the two halves into his own pile, which was, at least, half the size of the other two's.

While Bucky gave a small scoff under his breath, Steve looked to the billionaire bitterly, "Sometimes our teammates don't tell us things." He stated more or less glancing fully to Tony as he spoke, just before bringing down his own axe, easily chopping his wood into two pieces without breaking a sweat.

As Bucky went to grab another one of the wood pieces, ready to cut the next, he commented, "We were kind of hoping that Thor would be the exception, and well, we were proved wrong, again."

"Yeah, jut give him time," Tony replied, feeling ill-will getting thrown towards him just a nudge. "We don't know what the Maximoff kid showed him." For him, it was watching all his teammates die, all his friends. While he was left alive – the only one to bear the weight of the dying world. He just couldn't let that happen – he needed to save everyone he cared for.

The sound of Bucky bringing his axe down sounded.

"'Earth's mightiest heroes.'" Steve quoted with a scoff, going to grab another log. "Pulled apart like cotton candy."

Tony suddenly narrowed his eyes between the two, "Seems like you two walked away all right." He noticed that they hadn't had quite the toll taken on them, from what he's seen anyway after the Maximoff girl placed everyone (barring two) under a spell.

Bucky noticed the eye narrowing, so he returned it with a harder look. "Is that a problem?" He knew they hadn't actually come out of it pretty easily; Steve had mentioned what he had seen, seeing Peggy again after the war, but it wasn't all flowers and roses. More like confusing. For him; he had watched his love die in his arms, and he couldn't do a thing to stop it.

They were just better at hiding what was going on in their heads than others.

Tony just shrugged, "I guess I just don't trust a guy without a darkness." He cut another piece of wood in two, "Call me old fashioned."

Steve was just staring at him, "Well, let's just say you haven't seen it yet."

Suddenly, it was almost as if the wood had been forgotten when Tony moved closer to the other two, staring at them.

"You know Ultron is trying to tear us apart, right?"

"Well, I guess you'd know, wouldn't you?" Bucky said with a hard tone, readying his axe again. He scoffed, "It's just the matter of if you'd tell anyone is the main question."

Tony once again, turned defensive. "Banner and I were doing research!"

"And that would affect the team." Steve pushed.

"That would end the team!" Tony yelled, "Isn't that the mission? Isn't that the ' _why we fight'?_ " The anger inside both American heroes was rising as he continued, "So we can end the fight. So we get to go home!"

The rounded log Steve was holding suddenly snapped in two; he had literally just ripped it apart with both his hands. No use from an axe. Bucky, on the other hand, was feeling his day slowly become dimmer and dimmer because of Tony – even after the amazing morning he's just had.

"Every time someone tried to win a war before it starts," Steve said in a low, on the verge of an angry tone. "Innocent people die."

"Every time." Bucky couldn't agree more as he finished.

Suddenly Laura appeared just a few meters away, "Sorry." She apologised, knowing she was interrupting something. She could just tell by the looks on their faces that whatever they were talking about, wasn't something that's being taken lightly. She turned to Tony, still looking apologetic, "Mr. Stark … Clint said you wouldn't mind, but our tractor, it doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought that maybe you might-" He cut her off.

"-Yeah, I'll give her a kick." He told her, it was probably best to give the two boys some time without him there. His presence alone was causing a lot of tension, something he didn't really like. But then, it was ultimately his fault, wasn't it?

As he started to walk away, following Laura, he turned to point at his own small pile of split logs - compared to Bucky and Steve's, his was tiny. He said, "Don't take from my pile." Even though it wouldn't have done him much good anyway, he lost by a mile if it had been a competition to see who can cut the most.

Bucky and Steve started to resume in cutting logs.

"So, what happened with Ava this morning?" Steve finally asked, eventually getting a chance to ask without anyone else being present.

At the question, an affectionate smile crossed his face, the memories flashing through his mind. He completely forgot about Tony and the previous conversation. "Everything's going to be fine," He told him, not going into great detail. He wasn't going to mention what she had told him; it had been hard enough for her to break the news to him. It just didn't seem right to tell Steve about the issue himself, it felt like it was her right to tell him. "She's gonna be okay."

Steve suddenly stopped to stare at him, raising an eyebrow when he caught sight of the familiar smile on his best friend's face, but there was a spark in his eyes too, even a small blush creeping on the top of the guy's cheeks.

"What happened?" He questioned, hesitant. Not sure whether he would like the answer or not. He had seen that look before, but it's like he couldn't remember where, it's been too long.

Bucky just chuckled in an amused manner, patting his best friend on the shoulder. "Now, Stevie … it's not something a brother wants to know what his sister does in the bedroom."

It only took him a fraction of a second to realise what that meant, and a slightly horrified look crossed Steve's face – making Bucky laugh a little harder, finding it very funny. "She and you …" He shook his head, instantly wanting to get rid of those thoughts. "Alright, do NOT give me details, but, is she okay, I mean, really?" He pushed past … _that_. But he just needed to know that she'll be okay.

Bucky died down his laughter before turning to his best friend seriously, "She's getting there, Steve. We just need to be there for her; let her know that we're not going anywhere."

Steve nodded, understanding.

"So, are you two back together now, or…?"

"Not how we used to be, not right now." Bucky sighed at the question – because even after this massive breakthrough, Ava still needed time. He still kept the engagement ring wrapped around his neck in a chain – but he would ask her again later on down the line, make it even more special than the last time, but not right now. Right now, she needed to heal.

…

While Bucky was outside with Steve and Tony, Ava was walking aimlessly around the farm house. Not really sure what to do, but mostly just talking to herself within her mind. She looked a lot lighter from the strain previously being held, like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It was almost like she's become semi-intent rather than before.

"Avery." Someone called to her from behind, just as she entered what she could think would be a sunroom since there were several renovations going on in the middle. Ava frowned slightly but turned – seeing Clint standing there with his hands dug into his pockets.

"What is it, Clint?" She questioned, just curious. Because of all that tension leaving her body, and the fact that she didn't have to worry about so much anymore, it seemed like she's become a bit more civil – a little of how she used to be before 'The Winter Soldier' was introduced to her body.

He looked at her sheepishly, "Sorry." He apologised beforehand, "But, you're good with science, right?" Getting straight to the point.

Ava became confused, especially by the question. But she nodded anyway, "I guess you could say that." If she wasn't good at science, then she wouldn't have been included in the serum making back when the war broke out. And she did pretty well in school if she could remember right too.

Clint looked a little relieved, "I wouldn't ask this usually, but, would you be able to help Jackson with his homework?" He asked, a little pleadingly. His son had been trying to get that homework done for a long while and honestly, neither he nor Laura knew how to help him. Science really wasn't their forte. "And he … actually said himself that he wanted you to help him."

"But I'm … I'm no good with kids." Ava tried to tell him slowly. She may feel better after this morning - way better after this morning. But being in close proximity to a child? Is that a such a good thing to do right now?

"Please." Clint pleaded, wanting her help. "It would mean a lot to him." He also knew she's been having trouble with children, so really, he just wanted to help at the same time.

Avery wrapped her arms around herself with a moment of silence, but after that pause, she started to slowly nod her head. She had to try at some point, getting close to kids again without breaking; and really, being a part of the Avengers now, she needed to get past this obstacle sooner rather than later.

Clint drew out a relieved sigh, seeing the nod. "Thank you so much," He told her, "He's just up in his room, third door on the left…"

…

Ava found her way up to the boy's bedroom after Clint left her, apparently he needed to get some things done before they evidently leave again to finish what was started with Ultron.

When she stood outside the door, she watched as the boy from before kept scribbling doodles on a piece of paper. He didn't really seem to do anything other than doodle. Looking around his room, she dozens of drawings of them, the Avengers. And much to her surprise, there were a couple of her too. He was a very good drawer for his age, not professional, but still, almost to a high teenage year drawer.

"They're very good." Ava noted to him absently as she stared at them, making him jump from his seat and turn to her with wide eyes. She was still nervous about being in a room alone with a child, but it didn't feel as hard as before when they first arrived at the farm house.

"You came!" Jackson, Clint's son exclaimed with a happy grin on his face. But the surprise was still based on his features, probably thinking that after yesterday, she wouldn't want to come anywhere near him. He made sure of himself not to ask about her metal arm this time, from what he figured, that's what triggered the bad response from her.

Avery finally looked over at him, a small smile playing on her lips, feeling calmer than before. "Your dad said you needed help with science." She did need to make up for the little scene she caused in front of him, this was how she can make that right.

He started to nod frantically, getting up from his chair and running over to his bed where several sheets of paper resided with typed writing on it. Ava tensed but kept herself under control when he came back rushing over to her, handing her the pieces of papers. Ava took them carefully with her human hand, looking down at the writing to see what was written.

"I have to make and explain an experiment to do with chemical reactions." Jackson gave her the specifics, "There's also a competition to see who can make the coolest experiment."

Avery nodded at the information – Chemical Reactions, easy. She always felt more at ease in the past thinking about science, maybe that's why she's finding this conversation with a child easier than the last time.

As Jackson went over to sit back down on his bed, wondering what Ava would say next – Avery went over and sat on the desk chair that Jackson had previously been sitting on.

"Do you have any ideas so far?" She asked. An idea was springing to mind, something she had wanted to create in school back then but was never given the right assignment to show it off.

Jackson shook his head, "No, I couldn't seem to really understand it. Mom and Dad really aren't the best in science and I can't ask my teacher cause it's due before I next see her."

"Alright." Ava nodded her head, piecing everything together in her head for what they would need. She didn't realise it, but she had forgotten about the tension between her and children, the science was keeping her together without her even knowing it. She looked up at him, a small grin playing on her lips, "How do you feel about making a mini-volcano?"

…

"-Okay, so when you put in the vinegar (which is an acid) and the baking soda, it'll release a carbon dioxide gas. And to make the bubbles that'll turn it into the 'lava', you just need to add in the dishwashing soap. Adding some red food colouring would also make it stand out more, making it imitate a real volcano." Ava explained, writing everything down on a plain piece of paper with diagrams and labels. Jackson was by her side at the desk, looking over her shoulder, almost drinking everything in she was explaining.

"This is so cool!" He exclaimed with a beam on his lips, and before she could react, he lunged into her arms, wrapping her in a hug. He didn't notice it, but she tensed again – but luckily, didn't react badly to it like she would have expected. "Thank you so much!" He loved her idea of making a mini-volcano! His classmates will be so envious when they watch it in action – it just sucked that he couldn't brag about the fact that Avery Rogers was the one to help him come up with the idea. But his father had strictly forbidden him from doing so, even mentioning about all the Avengers staying with them these last couple of days.

Just then a knock came at the open door, making both occupants of the room turn to it. They saw Bucky standing there, leaning against the doorway, looking at the hugging scene with a smile playing on his lips.

Bucky turned to Jackson, but still staying in his place, "Hey, little man – your Mom wants you downstairs for dinner now."

Jackson's eyes lit up, "Okay!" He exclaimed before running out of the room, but not before giving another hug to Ava. Bucky couldn't help but chuckle when he watched the boy run towards the smell of food cooking downstairs.

Bucky turned back into the room, making his way over to Ava. She was still watching the way Jackson had run out towards. "Looked like you had some fun." He couldn't help but comment – before he had knocked, he had been watching how she explained to the boy with the design she made. She actually looked content and he couldn't be happier.

Ava really thought about it for a moment, before she started nodding with a smile of her own, "Yeah, I think I was."

"Come on." He beckoned, walking up to her and holding out his hands for her to take. It wasn't just Jackson that was needed going downstairs, everyone was. As it turns out, Nick Fury had made the trip over after hearing the disaster the Avengers have gotten themselves into. "We're needed downstairs too – we have a special visitor."

Avery frowned, "Who?" Thinking it must be Hill or something, but she took his hands anyway, letting him pull her up to her feet.

"You'll see…" Was all that he said before he pulled her towards the way downstairs.

…

As soon as they walked into the open kitchen/dining room she saw who the visitor was immediately. Ava completely halted in her steps, staring at the person in shock – Bucky had to stop with her since their hands were conjoined. The man standing there was wearing a pair of black jeans, a light brown cotton shirt with long sleeves – and the one thing she couldn't miss was the black eye patch covering one eye along with the black hat on his head. The dark-skinned man was Director Nick Fury of the old Shield.

"You're dead." She stated bluntly with confusion laced in her voice, blinking serval times to see if what she was seeing – was actually there. She didn't sound threatening, just more along the lines of surprise covering her features. Ava could remember the man all too well because she had indeed shot several large bullets into the man the last time she remembered. Why hadn't anyone told her the man was alive?

"So are you Avery Lola Rogers," The man turned to her, quipping back with slight attitude. Seeing the woman who definitely had, technically, killed him. He wasn't really complaining, though – being off the grip and supposedly dead gave him extreme advantages than before when he was _alive_.

He then waved his arm over to the seats available. "Come join the party, I was just about to continue." He said. He cleared his throat, "As I was saying…" Ava and Bucky made their way over to the dining room table where most people seemed to be sitting/standing around, everyone was just residing in there. "…Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself some time."

Ava turned to Bucky as they took a seat next to each other, _"How come you never told me that he was alive?"_ She whispered, a little harshly, into his ear. How could _he_ especially, have kept something like that from her. He was holding her hand still, so she squeezed it a little tighter in warning not to lie to her.

Bucky winced to himself, he knew he deserved that. He quickly gave her a very sorry look; he really should have told her a long time ago that the man had indeed survived. But not only had Fury made them all promise to keep his _death_ a secret, but it had honestly slipped his mind. _"I'm really sorry, the guy didn't want anyone else to know and I completely forgot about it."_ He whispered back regretfully.

She narrowed her eyes, _"Are there any more people raising from the dead that I should know about?"_ Giving him a warning look.

He shook his head discreetly to her, _"No, that was it."_

Ava just stared at him for a moment, looking into his eyes. And luckily for him, she saw nothing else but the truth. She let go of the pressure to his hand, smiling slightly, a little bit relieved but still a little hurt from that kind of secret being kept from her.

In a way she understood; she had indeed technically killed the man. She hadn't really had the right to know if he had indeed survived or not.

"Are you two lovebirds finished over there?" Fury raised an eyebrow to them, everyone now looking at the scene between them.

Avery and Bucky were startled into looking up at him, both becoming, at least, a little bit sorry before mumbling an actual 'Sorry' between them.

Fury let out an annoyed huff before continuing with what he had found out, "My contacts all say he's building something." Referring to Ultron.

Between Bucky and Natasha, Clint's daughter Michelle came up to the table before handing one of her drawings to the redhead. Natasha smiled at the little girl, thanking her for the lovely drawing.

"The amount of Vibranium he made off with," The eye-patched man continued, "I don't think it's just one thing."

Steve frowned, "What about Ultron himself?" He inquired, leaning against the doorway to the Dining Room/Kitchen. Laura and the kids were in the other room, eating dinner. He couldn't help but glance at his sister sitting next to Bucky every couple of moments, and a smile drew upon his face discreetly. He saw Ava still holding Bucky's hand, looking much more at ease than she did yesterday when they first arrived at the farm house. A good feeling started to settle in his gut – she was finally getting better.

"Oh," Fury drawled out, finding amusement falling into his looks, "He's easy to track." He stated. "He's everywhere – the guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit." He grabbed a glass from the drying rack by the sink, pouring himself a glass of water. "It still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans, though."

Tony was playing darts over to the side but was still able to overhear the conversation and put in his own words. "Is he still going after the launch codes?" He questioned.

"Yes, he is." Fury confirmed, now slicing himself a piece of homemade bread to go with his water. "But he's not making any headway."

Tony didn't understand why that was happening – if he, himself, could easily hack into the most fortified systems on the planet – then it should be a piece of cake for a machine. Ultron should have easily been able to worm himself in to get those codes within seconds. He voiced his confusion, "I cracked the Pentagon's firewall in High School on a dare."

Fury didn't understand it either, but he shrugged anyway, "Well, I contacted our friends at the Nexus about that."

Bucky frowned, "Nexus?" He questioned. What was that?

Bruce was the one with the answers this time, "It's the world Internet hub in Oslo." He started, "Every byte of data flows through there, it's the fastest access on Earth."

Clint picked up one of the darts from the counter, "So, what did they say?"

"He's fixated on the missiles." Fury told him, "But the codes are constantly being changed."

Tony turned to him, a cocked eyebrow in sight, "By whom?" Just as he finished, a dart flew by his face, just inches away from his nose. Clint had thrown his dart on the board, getting it in the middle circle, a bullseye – Tony, seeing this, turned a glare towards the Hawk. Clint just smirked with a shrug, proving once again, that his aim was better than him.

"Parties unknown."

Natasha leaned forwards in her seat, her elbows connecting with the table. "Do we have an ally?"

"Ultron's got an enemy." Fury shook his head, "That's not the same thing. Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is."

Tony was thinking along the same lines – he might be able to figure out the identity of this person if he could get close enough. "I might need to visit Oslo." He stated, turning to Fury, forgetting about the darts. "Find our unknown."

Natasha wasn't feeling too pleased with how this meeting was turning out – she thought that with fury here, there would be more important information gathered for them that they could use. "Well, this is a good time, boss, but I was kind of hoping that when I saw you, you'd have more than that."

"I do." He replied back, munching away at his ready-made sandwich, looking between all of them. "I have you." Even including Ava in his gesture. "Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere. Ears, everywhere else. You kids had all the tech you could dream up-" He then gestured to Ava, "-and you have someone whose been inside Hydra was centuries, someone whose helped Strucker for a time too-" Ava looked away from everyone, ashamed and Bucky squeezed her hand, now glaring at Fury. "-Here we all are, back on Earth, with nothing but our wit and our will to save the world."

"Ultron says the Avengers are the only thing between him and his mission," He continued, ignoring the glare Bucky and now Steve were sending his way, "And whether or not he wants to admit it, his mission is global destruction." He gestured to the surroundings, "All of this … laid in a grave."

"So stand … outwit the platinum bastard." Fury set himself down in the chair nearest to Natasha, clearly opposite Bucky.

Natasha couldn't help it – she just had to say it. "Steve doesn't like that kind of talk." She suddenly teased in a low tone, batting her eyes up to the Captain.

That got everyone's lips twitching, and the glares were put aside, "You know what, Romanoff?" Steve started to say, a playful hint now mixed in, but this time, he couldn't help but find it amusing himself.

Fury ignored their fun, "So, what does he want?" Looking at everyone, letting anyone spout out some ideas now.

Something then came to Bucky, "To become better." He looked around to all his fellow Avengers, "Better than us – he keeps building bodies."

It did make some sort of sense to Ava, but that sounded a bit too easy – they would have been wiped out by now considering how many doubles he's already made. No, he was waiting for something – something bigger. "But it can't just be the extra bodies he's building." She finally spoke out, and everyone turned to her curiously. She was in a thinking mode. "If that's all he wanted, then why did he want all that Vibranium?"

Fury quirked an eyebrow at her suggestively, "What would the Winter Soldier do?" Actually interested, she could be onto something.

Avery just stared at him for a moment with calculating eyes, but spoke anyway, still staring at him. "She'd want to be ready, to be better. But not in just skill – better in design so that when the time came, she'd be unstoppable and the targets for her mission would most definitely be eliminated."

Bruce seemed to agree because he stared down at the photo the little girl had given Natasha, a drawing of a butterfly. "'They don't need to be protected'." He suddenly quoted the same words Ultron had said back when they met him. "'They need to evolve'."

Bruce finally looked up, "Ava's right – Ultron's going to become better than us, he's going to evolve and become in his terms, unstoppable."

"How?" Fury questioned, wondering how a machine could do so.

"The Vibranium." Avery stated, looking over to Bruce who seemed to be the only one who understood - the pieces were falling together.

Bruce nodded in agreement, looking between everyone, but mostly Tony, "Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?"

…

About half an hour later, everyone was geared up and ready to go. When Tony tried to call Helen Cho earlier, they hadn't gotten a reply – it went straight to voicemail and anyone that knew that woman knew she'd always pick up that phone, especially when Tony was on the other end of the line.

Steve and Bucky picked up their shields from beside the couch; everyone was dressed up in their Avenging uniforms again, preparing for a fight that would evidently come. "We'll take Natasha, Clint, and Ava." Steve said to Tony, gesturing to himself and Bucky.

"All right. Strictly recon." Tony nodded, walking beside the boys, heading towards the entrance of the house with them, "I'll hit the Nexus and I'll join you as soon as I can."

"If Ava and Bruce are right. That Ultron really is building a body from the Vibranium-" Tony stopped him, already knowing where Bucky was heading with this.

"-He'll be more powerful than any of us." He agreed, keeping his voice down so the kids didn't overhear, "Maybe all of us. An android designed as a robot."

Steve scoffed, "You know, I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was us." Gesturing Bucky and himself.

"Me too." Bucky nodded, thinking along the same lines.

Suddenly Fury entered the hallway and he turned to them. He was in the middle of throwing his jacket back on, "I'll drop Banner off at the Tower." He told them before looking more towards Tony, "You mind if I borrow Ms. Hill?"

"She's all yours." Tony started to reply, before saying, _"Apparently."_ Under his breath. He couldn't help but feel annoyed at the fact that Hill had technically been going behind his back to help Fury.

"What are you going to do?" Steve wondered.

"I don't know." Fury shrugged, before grinning with mystery. "Something dramatic, I hope."

Just before he was about to turn on his heels, about to leave through the door – he looked between Steve and Bucky together, a rare smile on his face. "You've got one heck of a girl in there. Tell her I don't hold a grudge; I forgave her a long time ago."

…

The Avengers were now all gathered back in the helicraft they flew over in; and almost as soon as they got him, they began heading towards their destination. And probably, their next fight.

 **Follow, Fav and Review!**


	18. The Cradle

**During the fighting scenes, there will be small time jumps because I don't want to bore anyone with the full thing – it'll keep jumping between Steve/Bucky and Ava/Barton/Natasha.**

 **For 'Saviours' schooling hasn't been the full reason as to why I haven't updated in about a month, it's because I wasn't really sure of how I wanted Ava to contribute in this chapter. Whether she should stay with Natasha and Barton or be with Bucky and Steve …** _ **I hope this doesn't suck!**_

 **Enjoy!**

 **Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Cradle**

"The Cellular cohesion will take a few hours-" Dr. Cho was explaining, plugging away at the keyboard attached to the Cradle. Her eyes were a sparkling baby blue colour, one that was very similar to when Loki would possess ordinary people to do his bidding. Ultron used that idea to his advantage to get the good Doctor on his side, to make his perfect body.

Inside the Cradle, a body mixed with human tissue and Vibranium were being connected together – together the two substances were mixing, so a body with the same power and strength like the American hero's shields would be made. Little lasers were making their way around the new body, shaping it just how Ultron had dreamed of.

Dr. Cho went over to Ultron who was sitting down on one of the tables, she was fixing a thick wire to his head that connected to the new body. This was how Ultron was going to transform all his _wonderful_ personality traits into the new body. "-but we can initiate the consciousness stream." After attaching had been complete, she sauntered back over to the Cradle. "We're uploading your cerebral matrix … now." A beep sounded, and a little diagram appeared on the screen behind her. A progress bar to see where they were at.

Just then, Wanda and Pietro wandered into the room to see what was happening.

Pietro stayed close to the door but his twin moved a little closer to the cradle, her head tilting in wonder. Her eyes peeled on the cradle, her lip twitched into a near smile as she stared at the new being created inside. "I can read him," She said, her accent evident in her words. "He's … dreaming." She couldn't get a full hold on a reading, but it wasn't like with Ultron. She literally couldn't read his mind because of the fact that he's some kind of robot, but with this thing being part human, that must be why she could read it.

"I wouldn't call it dreams." Cho retorted in a factual manner, not looking up from her keyboard. "It's Ultron's base consciousness. Informational noise. Soon-" Ultron cut her off with a question.

"-How soon?" Ultron perked his head over to her, but he didn't look demanding – just curious. "I'm not being pushy." He assured.

"We're imprinting a physical brain," Cho told him. As she spoke Wanda began to inch towards the cradle, she wanted to see what this being was 'dreaming' about. "There are no shortcuts."

"But even with your magic gem…" Wanda blocked out everyone in the room, placing her hands on top of the cradle. She closed her eyes with a small tilt to her head, finding the connection that would let her see into the new being's head. And she got it, but it wasn't something she was expecting at all. The painful vision of their Earth being blown up cascaded through her body, she could feel the pain that came along with it. With a start, she threw herself away from the cradle with a pained scream. Pietro, who was still at the door, rushed to her side.

Pietro tried to calm her down as she panted, "What is it?" He whispered. Gently grabbing her face to see what the matter was; she was panting as though she had run a couple of miles.

But she ignored him, turning her head towards Ultron with shock and disbelief, "How could you?" Her voice broke. She felt her brother wrap his arm around her, feeling her distress.

Ultron tilted his head with confusion, although, he had an inkling already to what she may have seen. "How could I what?"

Pietro was confused but stayed silent, "You said that we would destroy the Avengers..." She said in a hard tone, but the pain was still there. "…make a better world."

"It will be better." Ultron told her, not countering his defence.

There was a moment of silence until Wanda spoke again, her tone this time full of mistrust but a link of anger mixed in. "When everyone is dead?!" Pietro's eyes widened, he looked down at his sister's face. She was completely - dead serious.

"That is not-!" Ultron started to make out his defense, his voice nearly booming. But, he paused for a moment before continuing, "The human race will have every opportunity to improve."

Pietro was the one to speak, this time, still having a hard time believing what he imagined his twin had seen. "And if they don't." Directing his words towards Ultron.

"Ask Noah." The blunt reply came.

Pietro held his sister just a little bit tighter, having the small feeling inside that it won't be safe for them here anymore. There was no way either of them was going to agree to help Ultron now if it would mean the world ending; all they wanted was to rid the world of the Avengers. Tony Stark in particular more than anyone else.

"You're a madman." Wanda looked at him with a different light – they had been tricked into helping him essentially. Suddenly it came to her; Ultron was worse than the Avengers, worse than Stark in a way – she knew they couldn't stay here anymore. They had to get away.

Ultron ignored her words, because they were _technically_ true, "There were more than a dozen extinction-level events before even the dinosaurs got theirs." It was almost like he was trying to get them to understand, to realize that this is the path they needed to take. "When the Earth starts to settle – God throws a stone at it. And, believe me, he's winding up."

"We have to evolve." Ultron's eyesight went down to his creation being born inside the cradle, "There's no room … for the weak."

While Ultron wasn't looking, Wanda secretly moved her hand towards Dr. Cho, sending a small wave of her energy to stop the sceptres power over the doctor. Helen's eyes slowly turned from a bright blue back to their original color – she was no longer being controlled by Ultron.

"And who decides who's weak?" Pietro kept Ultron's attention away from his sister, realising what she was doing. But he still couldn't help but stare at the machine in disbelief.

Ultron didn't look up, just chuckled. "Life." But then he did, staring the twins right in the eye. "Life always decides." Suddenly, his head perked up but not in a good way – he could hear one of those helicrafts approaching. He snarled with annoyance, "There's incoming."

Pietro turned around, going back to hold his sister tightly – knowing he might have to get them out of there quickly because no doubt, the Avenger's were coming. And strangely, they didn't mind – Ultron needed to be stopped, they saw that now. He kissed the side of his sister's head, letting her know she'll be okay – they both will.

"The Quinjet." Ultron uttered, realising who was approaching – knowing he needed to get his vision cradle out of here now before those Avenger's mess anything up. "We have to move."

"That's not a problem." Dr. Cho stated, pretending she was still under his will – knowing what needed to be done, even if it got her killed in the process. She needed to buy the Avenger's time – she couldn't let Ultron win. She moved over to the keyboard attached to the cradle, typing in a few phrases and after a few second – Ultron made a groan of annoyance, seeing the pause in the uploading process. Looking at her eyes, they were her regular brown ones again – no longer the bright blue he had made them become earlier.

Without a second thought; Ultron lifted his mechanical arm towards Helen, shooting out a red beam to her chest that sent her flying back into the wall, now furiously bleeding from her body. Wanda gasped in horror and before she could even comprehend what had happened, Pietro had already whisked them out of the building – needing to keep his twin safe from Ultron. That machine was now the enemy, just like Stark was. The other Avengers on the other hand … they were in doubt about them.

"Wait, guys!" Ultron called after them desperately, feeling alone now but knew he couldn't stop them because they were already gone. The other Ultron bots that were keeping Helen's workers in line began shooting the remaining people in the room, not even giving them a chance to scream for help. Ultron didn't want to leave any sign of life as they got ready to leave the building.

As the humans died in the other room, Ultron's gaze fell down to the cradle – he began petting with almost an adoration. "They'll understand." He mused to himself, "When they see, they'll understand." He reached to the back of his head, disconnecting himself to the uploading system. "I just need a little more time."

…

" _Two minutes … stay close."_ Steve's voice sounded from the speaker inside the Quinjet, talking to Ava, Natasha, and Barton who were still inside the carrier. Steve and Bucky had been momentarily dropped off at the building where Dr. Cho would be working, and where the Cradle was supposed to be held.

…

Bucky and Steve were running down the hallways, heading towards Dr. Cho's laboratory space – and when they entered the large room full of equipment, they were caught by the sight of several dead bodies and a missing cradle.

"Dr. Cho!" Bucky exclaimed, seeing the familiar woman lopsided against the wall with blood practically spewing out of her chest. She was still moving, but panting with the pain riddling her body. Steve ran to her side first, kneeling down before trying to stop the bleeding – she winced, tears of agony rolling down her cheeks.

Bucky grabbed a white cloth from the side, giving it to Steve who quickly used it to try and halt the bleeding. Helen gasped with pain, feeling the pressure being put on her body – she looked up to the two with muddled eyes, try really hard to keep her focus in check before she passes out again. "He's uploading himself into the body." She told them, guilt leaking into her words. She knew her mind and body had no physical control when Ultron possessed her mind, but it still felt like it was her fault this was happening.

"Where?" Bucky demanded lightly, not wanting to sound pushy but at any moment she could faint – they needed to know where that cradle had gone, Ultron needed to be stopped from putting himself into that body. It'll make him basically invincible if he's able to accomplish his task.

Helen slowly shook her head – she didn't know.

Steve was about to get up, but she grabbed his arm – getting him to look back at her. She looked at him with terrified eyes, "The real power is inside the Cradle." She told him, swallowing her pain, "T-The Gem." She coughed, "Its power is uncontainable … you can't just blow it up." She looked between both American Heroes, "You-You have to get the cradle to Stark."

"But first, we have to find it." Bucky mused, looking to Steve – they needed to think like Ultron if they were going to have any luck finding that cradle.

Helen nodded shakily, "G-Go." She pushed them. The cradle was much more important than her life, especially when the object could level the city if something tried to get rid of it the wrong way. Then they would all die if that happened.

…

" _Did you guys copy that?"_ Bucky was the one to speak through this time.

Clint nodded to himself, even though only the two women behind him could actually see him do it. "We did." He confirmed, piloting the Quinjet a little higher in the air.

In the back – Natasha was going through all the aircrafts that had taken off in the last couple of hours, searching profusely to see if any birds had left the ground without prior planning and logging. Avery, on the other hand, was darting through dozens of cameras around the building the cradle had been worked in with Helen. She didn't believe Ultron would fly out with the cradle – he'd try and trick them as much as he could, but in a rush, she was sure a mistake would have been made. That's why she was looking for any trucks that may have come from the lab, it made the most sense to 'The Winter Soldier' side of her. The Winter Soldier was a pure hunter in that sense.

"I've got a private jet taking off across town." Natasha told the two, spotting what she had been looking for – there had only been one plane that didn't have a flight plan, but the one she found didn't seem right to her. "No manifest."

"No," Ava mused to herself, shaking her head slowly but still made her words towards the redhead. "It's not him." And then, she finally got what she was looking for – there was a large forty-foot truck heading towards one of the main highways pretty much passing just below them.

Bingo.

Without looking up from the screen, she shouted, "Barton! There's a truck from the lab just passing under us – that'll be him!" The two women were pretty far back into the jet so speaking loud was a given.

A few seconds later … "I got it!" He called back to them, starting his internal scanner to see who or what was inside the truck – wanting to be sure, but it did feel like the right kind of thing to him that Ultron would be hiding in.

Clint pressed a button next to him, turning on his communication again, "Right above you, Cap, Lieutenant. In a truck, on the loop by the bridge."

Ava got up from her seat, heading towards the front of the jet. She looked at the screen after the internal view had finished loading up, "There's three of them with the Cradle, boys." She told Steve and Bucky, "There's another in the cab."

Clint flicked on a switch, "I could take out the driver."

"No!" Ava immediately told him from his side, knowing all too well what could happen if he did just that. "You heard what Helen said – that gem could level the city with a blast like that hitting it."

" _Exactly."_ Bucky agreed with her from the other end, _"We'll need to draw out Ultron."_ His tone already indicating that he had a plan – one that Steve would agree on by the sounds of it.

Ava narrowed her eyes at the speaker, hearing that tone, "If your thinking of doing what I think you're doing – then be careful, the both of you." She warned them, but there was a small playful note to her tone. Already guessing what they were about to do.

Bucky chuckled on the other end, _"Yes, Ma'am."_

…

As soon as Bucky and Steve had made it to the loop where the truck had been a couple of seconds ago, they literally jumped off the bridge and onto the truck below – timing it just right so they landed on the roof of it.

Inside, Ultron looked up, hearing two loud thumps – wishing these idiots would just leave him and his invention alone. "No, no, no, no." He kept repeating to himself, getting pissed off. He could hear continuous movement on top; where Bucky and Steve were maneuvering themselves towards the end of the truck, towards the double doors.

When the movements went to the double doors, Ultron narrowed his mechanical eyes with anger. "Leave me alone!" He yelled like a child wanting his parents to leave him alone to play with his toys. He shot out the same beam he used to severely injure Helen, directing his power towards the doors – hoping that he'll knock the two American heroes off them before getting run over by the several cars behind them.

But his luck didn't account for that, they were able to hold on to the scraps of the doors. Bucky on one and Steve on the other. Another beam shot out, and the doors were now dragging on the ground, but they still hung on.

"Well," Steve grunted, gripping the door hard so he didn't fall off and into the road – he could see Bucky doing the same, "He's definitely not happy." He commented. He glanced over to Bucky, who nodded at him, obviously thinking the same thing as hiM. "We're gonna try and keep him that way."

A second later Clint replied, _"Neither of you are a match for him, Cap."_ His reply was blunt, but there was a tinge of worry that could only be noticed by the well-trained hearer.

Bucky panted, scoffing, "Well thanks, Barton." He said with his voice full of sarcasm.

…

"Nat and I'll get ready to go." Avery told Barton, making her way out of the Pilot room – not wanting to leave her boys alone too long, because like Barton said – they didn't stand too much of a chance against Ultron on their own. And that cradle needed to be sorted out – so the plan was for her to help the boys while Natasha focused on the cradle, getting it away from Ultron while the metal man himself was kept busy.

The Quinjet weaved in and out of several glass buildings, flying towards Ultron, Bucky, and Steve.

…

Bucky and Steve flipped themselves back onto the top of the truck just as Ultron appeared in front of them. They were driving through the city now, having been thrown around a couple of times already.

"You know what's in that cradle?" Ultron asked rhetorically. He shot two beams out of his hands, but they connected with the two shields attached to both the American heroes' backs. "The power to make real change – and that terrifies you."

Bucky scoffed, "I wouldn't call it a comfort." He retorted, just as he and Steve simultaneously threw their shields at the machine.

…

Natasha punched a code into a keyboard, activating a small room to the side – the doors opened, revealing the transportation the two women would be taking. Ava nodded at them approvingly, liking them, a lot.

"Now that's a ride." She commented to herself, attaching her handgun to her belt while flexing her metal arm to get it ready for some much-needed action. The Winter Soldier in her was edging for a fight.

Natasha smirked, nodding her head at them too, "I know, right?"

…

Clint flicked another switch, lowering himself to the ground just enough but making sure he didn't hit any of the buildings beside him. "We've got a window." He told the two back there, using the intercom and knowing that his loud voice wouldn't hit them over the under door they had just opened. They were ready to go, "Four … Three…"

…

" _Give him hell."_ Barton's last words came through the speaker just as Avery and Natasha dropped to the ground, riding identical motorcycles that can move up to very fast speeds. The two sped off instantly after leaving the aircraft, weaving in and out of the traffic going their way – Barton flew back up in the air as they disappeared down the street.

Avery suddenly chuckled under her breath, seeing something familiar up ahead – Steve's shield. "Well, isn't this de-ja-vu." She mused, remembering all the times she used to pick up something after her brother – ' _Just like old times'_ She thought to herself.

As they came up to the shield, Ava's dropped her arm down and grabbed it - securing it in her grip. Natasha kept close to her, knowing that they needed to stick together.

" _They're heading under the overpass."_ Clint's voice came through in their earpieces. " _I've got no shot."_

"Which way?" Natasha answered back, speaking loudly. At the speed they were going, the wind would create a disturbance in her speech.

" _Hard right._ " Natasha and Ava prepared to follow his instructions since having a birds-eye view had its great advantages. " _Now."_ And so they did, they turned a hard right into a small connecting road, almost hitting an oncoming car – but luckily with skill, they didn't.

People around them were watching with wide eyes, because not only were they speeding – but they were driving those motorcycles like they wanted to die. This could be shown by how they kept _nearly_ crashing into things, but narrowly missed them at the very end.

About a minute later, they were travelling down a narrow alleyway and luckily for them, the truck they were looking for was just passing them. But in order to stop themselves from crashing into the side of the moving vehicle, they skidded underneath, the bottom of the truck nearly grazing the tops of their heads.

They could see Bucky fighting two of the lackey Ultron bots while Steve was getting choked by the real Ultron. "Steve!" Ava shouted from below, driving just next to the truck – he glanced over the side of his shoulder the best he could, and just in time to catch the shield she threw up to him. He smashed the edge of his shield into Ultron's arm, disconnecting the strangling strategy.

Ultron flew off him, but when he got the chance – he used his power to stop the two women from following – he did this by breaking off a part of the road before lifting the large piece up off the ground. Natasha and Avery had to skid to a stop in order to avoid crashing into it. The truck continued down the street; Steve starting to fight with Ultron again while Bucky threw one of the Ultron lackeys off the roof.

Ava and Natasha began to gear up their bikes again, speeding past the broken rock that had been in front of them.

…

"Barton, can you draw out the guards?" Ava called into her headpiece as she and Natasha sped down a flight of stairs, narrowly missing several people. They had to take the short-cut in order to get back to the truck – they were running out of time to get that Cradle away from Ultron before he makes his escape.

It Clint could get those two guards flying up to him instead of them keeping Bucky busy, Natasha could use her chance in getting the Cradle.

" _I'll see what I can do."_ His reply came swiftly, and towards the distance, they watched at the Quinjet appeared above the truck – Clint began shooting towards Ultron himself, making sure not to hit either Steve or Bucky. And the plan worked – the two that had originally been fighting with Bucky, flew up in the air towards the Quinjet.

As Clint took care of them – Bucky went back to helping Steve with Ultron. Ava and Natasha, on the other hand, were speeding down a road where they were going the absolute wrong way. (traffic-wise)

As they were meters away from the truck – Ava suddenly felt herself fly off her motorcycle and smash into the train that had been passing them. Her body fell through the air, her arm hitting the train's side first – she literally ripped through the side, crashing into a metal chair within. Another one of the Ultron bots had thrown her in there – one that they had missed during the counting.

Natasha gasped in horror when this happened, but something inside of her told her that the woman would be okay – so she continued with the mission. Just when she was close enough, she watched as Ultron threw Bucky and Steve into the moving train as well.

But she ignored this because her mission was to get that cradle away from Ultron, and that's exactly what she was going to do.

…

Ava heard screams around her when she got herself up from the ground and she didn't even get a chance to assess the situation until she was thrown against the wall … again – she grunted at the impact, beginning to get very pissed that she was being thrown around like a rag doll.

Looking up, she saw the Ultron bot heading her way again – but she stopped it by getting out her gun, emptying the mag into its core, similar to the place that had killed the last ones back at the Stark tower, way before all this started.

The bot fell down to the ground with a thump, dying.

"I'm going in." Natasha's voice sparked through her earpiece, but it was scattered – the fact that Ava had been thrown through the train wall probably messed with it a great deal. "Lieutenant, Cap – can you keep him occupied?"

"What do you think we've been doing?" Bucky's static reply came through with the same sarcasm he used with Barton earlier, but Ava could hear a grunt in his voice. A crash sounded further on down the train as she got her bearings back together– ' _They must be on board too_ ' Ava thought to herself, quickly heading towards that way with a throbbing pain radiating from her human arm. Just because she survived being thrown through a metal wall, didn't mean it hadn't hurt.

…

Avery came in just as Ultron was about to strike her brother in the gut, and to stop him, she grabbed Ultron's arm with own metal hand - throwing him backwards towards the way she had come. The unexpected act hadn't given him the chance to stop her from doing so.

Bucky was over to the side, fighting to get up – there was another large hole in the metal wall – meaning the two probably had the same welcoming to the train as she did. "Ava." He breathed, relieved that she was okay as he struggled to stand. He had watched as the bot threw her into the train and ripped through the side, it had worried him greatly. But seeing her standing there, he was feeling better already.

Steve was also happy to see her okay, but he didn't get the chance to say anything because Ultron began advancing on them again. At least, until something whooshed passed everyone, knocking not only the three of them over but elbowing Ultron back into the wall. The person who did this was Pietro.

Ultron was confused, about to advance on Pietro this time but was stopped by red flashing bars that stopped him from doing so. Wanda was using her powers at the other end of the train cubicle.

Ultron looked between the younger twins desperately, "Please," He pleaded, wanting them back on his side. "Don't do this."

"What choice do we have?" Wanda replied as a retort – helping the Avengers was better than helping Ultron and his ultimate destruction plan.

Ultron growled under his breath, frustrated. He lifted his arm once again in the direction of Pietro; the younger boy's eyes widened and he zoomed off just as Ultron shot out the beam. But instead of just hitting the wall – it went through to the driver's seat – killing the woman driving instantly while a large hole was blasted into the front window. After his job was complete; he flew out of the gigantic hole he had come in with the two American heroes, disappearing.

"We lost him." Steve spoke into his earpiece, signalling to Clint and Natasha. He jumped over people with Bucky by his side, moving over to the driver to see if she was alive. But every could tell just by the injuries that she wasn't, there was blood everywhere – more than Dr. Cho. Now, this train was moving without a driver and there was no way to stop – part of Ultron's blast had hit the controls; the machines were dead.

"He'll be heading your way." Bucky finished for him.

Looking through the hole in the window, the end was coming up fast. _'I really do hate trains'_ Ava muttered to herself inside her head, just as the train broke through the end barrier – now gliding at a fast rate over the gravel and pavements. People were screaming, running away before they got flattened like a pancake.

" _Guys, have you seen Nat?"_ Clint's worried voice came through, obviously not being able to find the redhead.

Steve was worried about Natasha now, but they needed to complete the mission. "If you have the package, get it to Stark! Go!"

" _Do you have eyes on, Nat?!"_

"GO!"

As the train didn't seem to want to stop – Ava took control of the situation. She turned to Pietro while trying to balance herself as the train rocked, "Pietro, there's civilians in our path – move them so they don't get crushed." She ordered, knowing he could do it.

Pietro listened and nodded immediately after hearing her order, leaving his sister in the care of the Ava and the American Heroes.

Next, she turned to Wanda who looked a little lost and maybe a little scared. "Wanda," Avery started, "You have to stop this train – you can do it, I know you can." This time, she put a bit of encouragement into her tone. She didn't want to sound like the emotionless robot they probably remembered back in the day.

Wanda was silent for a moment, just staring – but quickly she nodded and started preparing herself. Red flakes of powers glistened at her fingers and outside Pietro was succeeding in getting everyone out of the way before being crushed. Bucky and Steve were at a loss for what to do – they really couldn't do anything but watch.

When they were about to go through a building, though, both of them raised their shields towards the hole – but all they received when the building hit was being thrown back several feet, crashing into Avery in the process.

It was then that Wanda had built up enough power to do the job – the red flakes of power that had been accumulating at her fingertips were sent all throughout the bottom of the train and the ruby sensation radiated from her eyes. The train began slowing, her power stopping the train wheels from moving but it was a gradual process.

But finally, the train stopped in the middle of a street.

People began flying off the train, probably never wanting to go on one ever again.

Inside the train; Bucky helped Ava up, her body had taken a lot of damage in a sense where bruises might actually appear on her skin. "Are you sure you're okay?" Bucky questioned, his eyes filled with pure concern now that the crisis was over. There were a few cut marks on her face and even though she tried to hide it, she was favouring her human harm.

Ava couldn't help but roll her eyes at the concern – it was sweet, but the soldier in her hated it. "James, I am fine." She assured him, gripping his own arm gently with her metal one – giving him the sign that she really was okay. She had a few sore spots – but nothing major. "I don't think trains particularly like me personally, but other than that – I'm FINE."

Trains really have been a bad karma for her. First; she technically _died_ on one back in 1945 – Second; there was a time back in the 60's where she almost got hit by one – and third, today she got thrown through the metal wall encasing the train.

Yeah, she really hated trains with pure passion.

Ava couldn't help but think about how much her 'life' has changed over the past couple of years – she's gone from being Hydra's lap dog, to almost being herself again. The Winter Soldier in her was still bubbled to the surface, and it'll always stay there – but right now, even after this small train incident. She couldn't help but feel like her life was finally starting to be put back to rights.

After what happened in the bedroom – their discussion about her deepest secret, and what happened afterwards … it felt like so much had been lifted off her shoulders, they almost felt light and airy. But even with this newly acquired feeling inside of her, she knew that it might not last for much longer … there was always going to be something that was going to come after her and set her back once more.

She just prayed this wouldn't happen.

 **Note: For the last chapter, some of you may have noticed a change in the two children's name. This is because I couldn't actually find them, like, at all as I wrote the scene. I haven't had a chance to change it to the names actually given, but for now, they'll stay as Michelle and Jackson. Sorry!**

 **I haven't done this in a few chapters, but here's the current tally for the next book everyone would like me to write next.**

 **Harry Potter –** 47

 **Hunger Games –** 50

 **Transformers –** 25

 **Bourne Legacy –** 7

 **Kick Ass –** 14

 **Sorceress Apprentice –** 16

 _ **Wow, that's a lot of votes counted altogether. Lol.**_

 _ **If you haven't voted yet … I strongly think you should!**_

 **Follow, Fav and Review!**


	19. The Vision

**Avengers: The Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Vision**

 _Wanda was standing next to her twin while he panted heavily, having just used a lot of his energy moving people out of the way from the incoming train until she could get it to stop._

" _I just need a minute." Pietro waved off her concern – he just needed a moment's rest._

 _Steve walked over to them, leaving Bucky and Ava on the train for a moment to themselves, "I'm very tempted not to give you one." He stated, getting the younger two to look up at him._

 _Wanda ignored what he said, the thing Ultron wants more than anything flashed in her mind. "That cradle?" She inquired, a serious amount of panic in her voice – it needed to be destroyed, or thrown away somewhere Ultron could never get his hands on it. "Did you get it?"_

 _Steve looked over to her, "Stark will take care of it." He assured, having told Barton to get the thing straight to the genius. Bruce should be in the middle of helping Tony at this moment, figuring out a way to destroy both the cradle and the thing inside … whatever_ it _was._

 _Wanda blinked, looking gobsmacked by his answer, "No," She shook her head slowly, already knowing_ full-well _that Tony Stark would never just destroy something like that. "He won't." She told him, having actually looked inside his head the first time they retrieved the sceptre back in Sokovia. She knew everything about the man's fear._

 _Steve just stared at her for a moment, taking a note of the truthful conviction in her eyes at her own bold statement. He felt the need to defend his teammate … his friend, "You don't know what you're talking about." He insisted. "Stark's not crazy."_

' _No, no, no … he doesn't understand._ _' Wanda said to herself, mumbling in her head. She needed to get him to understand … all of them. "He will do_ ANYTHING _to make things right." She looked straight into the Captain's eyes, almost begging him to believe her._

 _There was just a moment when Steve stared between the twins – but then her words finally started to make sense towards the man he knew … he actually believed her._

" _Stark, come in." Steve tapped on his earpiece, turning away from the pair, knowing everyone should still be connected to the line. "Stark … is anyone on coms?" But all he got was silence, the signal must have gone down because Bucky and Ava would have definitely replied to his call. The two were still just inside the train._

 _Wanda could guess what was happening – she's been in both Stark's head and Ultron's … they were very much alike._

" _Ultron can't tell the difference between saving the world and destroying it." She explained, the Captain looked over his shoulder towards her. "Where do you think he gets that from?"_

…

After hearing that Stark was most likely going to be doing the complete opposite of what he should be doing … bringing whatever's inside that cradle, to life. Avery was _furious_ _,_ because after everything they've been through since the awakening of Ultron himself … it should have been a damn wake up call for the man.

But no, he was going to go and make an Ultron 2.0 behind everyone's back … again!

She entered the Stark building with her boys and the twins beside her, all of them heading straight up to where they knew Bruce and Tony would be – the main lab.

" _This framework is not compatible."_ Tony's voice reached them as they exited the elevator.

Bruce was there also, as expected, "The genetic coding tower is at 97%" They walked into see what they were doing; watching as Bruce made his way around to stand beside the Cradle. "You have got to upload that schematic in the next three minutes."

They made their presence known, "We're gonna say this once-" Bucky said, his tone hard as he looked between Bruce and Tony – Tony was the one to cut him off, though, they were so close to getting this right that they couldn't stop now.

"-How about 'none-ce'" Tony retorted, not listening.

Steve narrowed his eyes, "Shut it down." He ordered them like they were soldiers.

"Nope." Tony replied, putting emphasis on the 'P', "Not gonna happen." He went over to another computer, not looking up at them as he spoke.

Ava's fists clenched, "You have absolutely _no idea_ what you are doing." She stated, there were so many scenarios that could happen with whatever Ultron made in that cradle, and none of them were good.

Bruce looked up at her with a raised eyebrow, "And you do?" He knew the girl was smart, both the soldier and who she used to be … but even she had to agree that this was way out of her league too. They were just trying to make things right again and putting Jarvis into this body sounded like the best plan. They'd have someone powerful on their side – they were never going to win against Ultron on their own.

They'd all die before the end was near.

"And she's not in your head?" Bruce harshly pointed towards Wanda, the bitch that messed with his mind … making him injure and/or kill hundreds of people. Because of her, he was now the terrifying creature he always thought of himself to be – everyone in the public was deeply afraid for their life because of him.

Wanda stepped out from behind Ava, having stood behind the woman for a little protection – even though she knew full-well that she deserved none after everything she's created for the Avengers. Or more specifically, Winter and Dr. Banner. She looked towards Dr. Banner, knowing deep in her heart that there was no way she could ever make things right with him … she destroyed his life and probably his sanity because of her power, "I know you're angry."

Oh, he was more than angry. He was barely able to keep the other man inside of him – the guy wanted to tear this girl to shreds. "Oh, we're way past that." He looked at her right in the eyes, nothing but the truth in them, "I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade." Ava reached forwards, grabbing Wanda by the arm before slowly guiding her back behind – almost protectively.

Bucky took a step forwards before that certain conversation got too heated, "Banner, after everything that's happened-" Tony butted in on his, again.

"-It's nothing compared to what's coming!" Tony insisted.

Wanda looked at Stark desperately, no matter how much she despised him – they needed him to stop this project from happening. "You don't know what's in there!"

"This isn't a game!" Steve yelled, trying to knock some sense into these two scientists.

Pietro had just been standing there, looking between them all as they fought – but he came up with a better solution, he ran. Within less than a second, the sound of a machine powering down echoed throughout the room – making everyone fall silent. Tony and Bruce, however, were looking at the Cradle with wide-eyes – the power had been cut out.

Pietro threw down the power plug, essentially stopping their plan altogether. He never even realized he was standing on a glass roof – one that Barton could see through.

Pietro raised an eyebrow towards the one man he still hated more than anyone else in the world, "You were saying?" Suddenly, a gunshot sounded and as if it were in slow motion – Pietro watched as this bullet whizzed past him – coming up from the ground.

He didn't even get a chance to realize what was happening, because, within less than a second, he was falling through a glass floor.

"Pietro!" Wanda screamed, seeing him fall downwards, running towards the hole to make sure her twin was okay.

Tony wasn't watching, trying to get his project back up and running, "I'm rerouting the upload." He called over to Banner, doing exactly what he said.

Steve wasn't having it though, he took off his Shield and threw it towards the machines, letting it bounce between them all. Bucky did the same with his but as Ava was about to jump up to the small balcony where Tony was, she felt something shoot at her – throwing her back through a glass wall and into a very thick stone one. She crumbled to the ground before becoming knocked unconscious.

Tony had his Iron Man hand on and when Bucky saw what the man did to Ava, he was NOT in a happy mood, and neither was Steve. The two of them began throwing again.

Wanda's eyes widened, about to help as she charged up her power but was suddenly put in a choke-hold from behind. "Go ahead," A growl sounded in her ear, it was Bruce. "Piss me off." He dared her. He forgot to take into account that she had more than the power to manipulate minds; one of which she used to push him away from her, letting her go – she pushed him back further and that's when Thor arrived to the party.

Ava was just starting to get up from the floor, hear head a little blurry but she woke up just in time to see Thor jumping onto the Cradle, his hammer lifted high above him with lighting power radiating from it. After several seconds, he brought the Mjolnir down towards the thing underneath him – powering up whatever was inside the Cradle. Electricity flowed dangerously around the machine, and if Thor weren't the God of lightning – he'd probably be dead right about now from the current.

Everyone was watching with either shock, horror or disbelief when Thor was the one bringing this unknown being to life. When the lightning ceased to exist – there was a moment of silence. And suddenly, Thor was blasted off the Cradle before being slammed – much like Ava had, through several glass panels and bashed into a wall.

By this time, Bucky had moved over to Ava – helping her up, using his own body to protect her if need be. She had another cut on her forehead and this time, she knew there could be bruises down her back. Her accelerated healing should kick in at any time … thankfully.

Everyone in the room watched as the being inside the Cradle literally flew out of it, now crouching on top with suspenseful silence. His skin was mixed between parts of red and another of dark metal. He looked like one of Tony's suits but more … real-life and human.

The Vision - he looked up towards Thor as he slowly got up.

Thor pushed himself past the pain of being thrown the way he did. It was then, that the being sprung from his position and towards Thor – out of instinct and reflex - Thor dodged and grabbed him - throwing him away and towards another glass window that boxed the room.

The Vision was about to go past the point of flying out the building, but suddenly, he stopped in mid-air and the reflection of himself caught him off guard. It seemed to spark something inside of him, making his mind hurdle a few times before gathering its bearings back to reality.

Everyone was instantly on guard, even Bruce and Tony – everyone was tense, not knowing what was going to happen next. Thor seemed to know what he was doing though, holding his hand up in a way to stop everyone from attacking the new being.

It felt like minutes had gone by as the Vision finally turned around, seeing all the Avengers on the ground floor – the same place where the Avengers' party had been held. The new being slowly drifted his body back to the floor, still trying to figure everything out, "I am sorry." He finally spoke in a near monotone voice, apologizing towards Thor but glanced to everyone else. "That was…" Trying to figure out the right words, "…odd."

The Vision gave Thor a nod of gratitude for bringing him to life, "Thank you."

Steve took a step forward, watching the being with wary eyes, much like how everyone else was, "Thor." He gained the God's attention as the Vision conjured himself a cape much like the God wore. "You _helped_ create this?" Honestly shocked beyond belief, the man had been the one to completely oppose to Tony's wacky experiments every time, especially when one of them ended up being Ultron.

"I've had a vision," Thor stated, understanding how everyone might be feeling towards both him and the being he had just brought into creation. "A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center is that." Pointing towards the amber stone embedded into the Vision's forehead – the one gem that Helen herself reflected that it held a lot of power, enough to essentially wipe out a City or more.

"What?" Bruce took a step forward, interest filling his veins, "The Gem?"

Thor gave a single nod, "It's the Mind Stone." He answered, "It's one of the six Infinity Stones. The greatest power in the Universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."

Bucky cocked an eyebrow, giving the God an incredulous look. He kept a secure arm around Ava, keeping her close, "So then why did you-" Thor cut him off before the question had even begun.

"-Because Stark is right."

And then everything went silent – you could almost hear the crickets outside hopping about with horror at the statement.

Bruce was the first one to say what was on everyone's minds, "Oh, it's definitely the end times." He muttered with a serious note, wondering if he had been put under Wanda's spell again without him turning into the other guy this time.

Thor ignored his statement, "The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron." He spoke honestly, as much as he hated to admit it himself.

"Not alone." The Vision agreed, taking over for the God.

As the being spoke once more, Steve narrowed his eyes with recognition fluttering in his mind, "Why does your Vision sound like Jarvis?" Remembering the automated voice, the two voices had an uncanny resemblance.

Tony was still in a bit of shock that Thor, the great God himself, had basically approved of something he had done out on a whim. "We…" He started, looking his Vision up and down – the body where Jarvis was now occupying, "…reconfigured Jarvis's matrix … to create something new."

Ava touched the wound on her head, grimacing when she saw warm blood on her hands, "I think I'm starting to hate the word, ' _new_ '." She grumbled with irritation, reminding herself to punch Tony out of the building later … literally.

Bucky obviously heard, "Me too." Agreeing full-heartedly.

The Vision paced around the room, getting a feel for the team, "You think I am a child of Ultron." He summarized, realizing what everyone (apart from three) was thinking.

Steve was still tense with readiness, "You're not?" Not fully believing him.

"I'm not Ultron." The Vision started, but did look thoughtful on the subject, "I am not Jarvis either – I am…" He didn't really know who or what he really was - but he did know where his morals lay.

Wanda took a step forward, her eyes narrowed with accusation, "I looked into your head and saw _annihilation_." Remembering back to the vision she had seen in the lab earlier on today when this being was still in the Cradle. The fear and pain she felt the moment it flashed before her eyes.

The Vision knew he needed to defend himself. "Look again." He requested, knowing she'll see him a different light this time if she did.

Clint made a scoff from behind, not trusting Wanda anyway, "Her seal of approval means jack to me." Which was probably the same for Bruce too.

Thor knew he needed to intervene, so he took a step forward, "Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself – all of this came from the Mind Stone." He explained. "And they're nothing compared to what it can unleash. But with it on our side-" Avery was the one to cut him off this time.

"-Is it, though?" She got everyone's attention, moving out of Bucky's grip slightly as she stared at this 'Vision'. She didn't really know what to make of it just yet, but she knew it needed to prove itself more than anything before she can either deem it to be an ally or an enemy. The Vision turned towards her, "Are you on our side?"

A deep set of thought drove into the Vision's features, "I … don't think it's that simple." He admitted, not looking at anything or anyone in particular – but rather looking into his head for a physical answer to what he felt.

Clint didn't like that answer, "Well, it better get real simple - real soon." The end fight was near and they needed to know whether this thing was on their side or not.

It took another moment, but the Vision finally replied, having found the answer needed, "I am on the side of life." He told everyone, looking around to all their awaiting faces, "Ultron isn't. He will end it all."

Tony tilted his head in interest, "What's he waiting for?" Knowing this being had been connected to Ultron at least for a small amount of time – he'll know what Ultron's thinking for sure.

"You."

Bruce frowned, knowing that was coming, "Where?"

Clint was the one to answer, this time, already having found out the answer about half-an-hour earlier in his quest to locate the redhead, "Sokovia." He answered, glancing over to the Maximoff twins. "He's got Nat there, too."

Bruce took a daring step towards the Vision, and although he felt like they could trust this thing … there was still an inch of doubt in him, "If we're wrong about you … if you're the monster that Ultron made you out to be-" He left his sentence hanging.

The Vision could guess where the sentence was going to end, but inquired anyway, "What will you do?" He looked around to see how everyone was reacting and all he got were hardened expressions, even from Tony and Thor – it was a gamble bringing this thing to life, they just hoped deeply that they wouldn't be betrayed in their decisions.

"I don't want to kill Ultron." The Vision admitted with honesty, "He is unique and he is in pain. But … that pain will roll over the Earth. So, he must be destroyed." He was heading back towards his original place beside Thor, "Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net."

"We have to act now and not one of us can do it without the others."

Everyone looked around to each other; starting to feel a little more comfortable with the presence of this being. But there was one thing they did believe overall from his words – they all needed to work together in order to survive and conquer this threat.

"Maybe I am a monster." The Vision looked down at himself, honestly not sure. He was only born about ten minutes ago. "But I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So, there may be no way to make you trust me."

"But we need to go."

The Vision turned around, bending over slightly before turning back towards Thor, holding out something that made everyone's eyes widen with shock. The Vision … was holding Thor's almighty hammer. Thor stared down at his hammer in the hands of the new being he had just brought into the world and he blinked hard, wondering if he were seeing things. Maybe he was still in the magical waters where he was able to re-see his vision?

Slowly, Thor grabbed the hammer from him – realizing that this was real.

As the hammer was taken from his grip, the Vision walked away with everyone staring at his back – their eyes either gleaming with now-built trust (since the hammer could only be lifted by the 'worthy' according to Thor). No one seemed to hold anymore harshness towards the new being, now just acting more surprised than anything.

Thor shifted uncomfortably, not sure what just happened. He patted the Mjolnir into his other palm, clearing his throat, "Right." He nodded to himself before starting to move, but just as he passed Tony – he gave the man a heavy pat on the shoulder. "Good job." That was it before he left the room much like the Vision had done.

Bucky cleared his throat after sharing a look with Steve and Ava, cutting the silence the scene earlier had left, "Right, everyone has three minutes to gear up … get everything you need and we'll be off."

 **Note: Ah, an update. It's a miracle, haha.**

 **From what I can tell right now, there aren't many updates left to go now. Less than five I believe but with original scenes I had in mind, I'm not 100% sure. The next chapter may be a little short (but it's full of original content mostly)**

 **Anyway, let me know what you guys think!**

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	20. Memories Long Repressed

**Let me Know Do you guys want to see a Steve/Ava Chapter before the War starts? I feel like we need some twin action. Let me know!**

 **The Chapter will be up a lot sooner than this was one posted. I have literally exams every day next week but the week after I am completely free. My updates for stories will begin properly again.**

 **Avengers: Age of Ultron | Saviours | Memories Long Repressed**

Ava started to suit back up after just having finished tying her hair back into a new braid. Her previous one had been wrecked after having been thrown through several walls. Yes, she was still feeling more than a little pissed at both Tony and those Ultron bots for the incidents. But, for the sake of everyone living past tomorrow … she's put aside Winter's revenge streak … for now.

She reached forwards to grab the gun on her bed before expertly going through the well-known routine of making sure there wasn't anything that might render her unable to actually fire a bullet. A dodgy weapon in the middle of a death match would have no use for her – she'd like to live past this fight, and she'd make sure as many people as possible could make it through with her. Especially James and Steve – there was no way she was letting anyone take them away from her again.

The Winter was a tough nut … but so was Avery Rogers.

Just as Ava holstered two handguns to either side of her hips, a knock sounded at the door – she looked up curiously, and couldn't help but smile slightly as she noticed James leaning against the door … looking towards her with his own smile. Ever since the moment in the bedroom, the air felt very clear between them and she's clearly noticed something; James has been smiling a lot more. Ava couldn't help but notice how she did too whenever he was within her presence. The old Ava was definitely starting to trump over to the soldier in her.

"You ready for the big fight?" Ava questioned, crossing her arms over her chest – looking him up and down properly. He hadn't done much in the last couple of minutes while everyone else gathered what they needed – his face was cleaner than before, though, probably having just washed off all the dust particles that swept over him during the train incident. The same thing happened to her – that's why she's made sure to clean up before they left too.

James didn't answer, just staring at her with an undetermined look, "I remember this." He stated, passing her question aside while his brows furrowed with sadness. This scene in front of him really did feel like something out of their past. Ever since Ultron came into the picture, the feelings he used to feel came back with full force and he knew he couldn't do anything about them.

Avery tilted her head with confusion, "What are you talking about?" She asked, trying to think back to what he might be trying to say. But, nothing came to mind.

James sighed, shaking his head before removing himself from the doorway – shifting towards her, "The day you left with the team you were commanding." He remembered that day like it happened yesterday – at this moment, it felt like he was saying goodbye to her again just like he had to that day. The moment she left the Military camp with the team she was in charge of – that had been the last day he saw her for months, and that was when Zola first got his disgusting hands on her.

During those months, they were painful and his heart ached every day – it was something he never wanted to go through again. And, losing Ava all over again was just something he could never survive a third round. He knew she'd get through this fight with the skills she had and the motivation to protect that had driven in her soul. But, he still wanted her to be careful. Both him and Steve _never_ want to go through that again.

He should never have let her go that day – but she was stubborn, just like he and Steve were. Being a commander for a team was something she had been working very hard for; being the first woman to do so with the love for her country under her belt.

Ava sighed silently, the memory vaguely coming back to her slowly. She may have had all or most of those memories she lost back but retrieving them was always a challenge. Her head was literally living two lives. She stepped towards him, gripping his forearms gently with her hands – squeezing them just a little to comfort him.

"James, we're _not_ in 1943 anymore." She said lightly, not wanting him to feel the way he was. She didn't like seeing that pain of remembering something bad cross his features. She could tell he was blaming himself for letting her go that day but it wasn't his fault. If it was anyone's – it's Zola's or even her own. "Even though the circumstances didn't exactly play in my favour – I am a lot more skilled and resilient than I was back then." Circumstances was a stretched way to put her horror-filled life, "We'll all get through this fight and we'll WIN."

James let out a small smile, a little chuckle leaving his lips with remembrance gleaming in his eyes. He gently pushed a falling strand of hair behind her ear before his hand leaned against the side of her cheek, she instinctively leaned into it. "There's my Ava." He commented, nodding slightly with a proudness leaking into his words, "The girl who believed in the impossible … before it _did_ become possible."

Ava could actually feel her spirit lift a little more, a quirk of her own plastered over her lips, "And you're my James Buchanan Barnes – the most stubborn guy on the planet who won't take 'No' for an answer." She countered. Her smile slowly dimmed, but her eyes held an easily detectable _thank you_ , "And if it wasn't for him; I wouldn't even be where I am today – I would _probably_ still be a murdering psychopath." Putting a little tease in the end towards herself; she knew what she had said would have been completely true too.

James leaned forwards before resting his forehead against hers, their noses nearly touching. " _You're welcome."_ He breathed quietly, their lips now almost touching. And suddenly, an idea came to mind. "When this is over and Ultron's gone for good - if you want, I'll take you travelling. We can go visit the places we talked about before the war in 45. We can get away from this place for a while." Then, if the time is right, he'd propose again. But this time … he'd made it even more special than he did the first time.

And the idea of getting away from the fights actually sounded … perfect.

The memory flashed before Ava's eyes and her lips widened slightly, "I'd love that." She really could use some time away from all this _and_ the urge to fight. Before the war, they really had talked about travelling a bit before settling down – but then, this was still before their lives turned upside down.

And, even then, she wanted to find her roots again and fully heal from everything her body and mind has had to go through lately. It's surprising that her head hasn't snapped yet under all the pressure.

Overall, from this moment on, she wasn't going to let her past get to her anymore. The past was in the past and now she needed to think about the future. And that future included being with James but also being there for her brother again. She knew it was going to be a challenge, a big one, but she was up for because her name was Avery Lola Rogers and it's about time she started living like her again.

 **Reviews:**

 **CJ/Oddball:** _For the Fanfic selections you can actually find them both on my Fanfiction Profile (the poll at the top) and on my Quotev Profile. The choices I have up right now are [Harry Potter (Harry/OC), Hunger Games (Finnick/OC), Transformers (Sam/OC) Bourne Legacy (Aaron/OC), Sorcerers Apprentice (Dave/OC), Kick Ass (Dave/OC)_

 _I do agree that Tony and Steve need someone and I do plan to do a Fic for each. I'll make sure to put both in the next poll for everyone to vote on._

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	21. War Is Upon Us

**Avengers: Age of Ultron | Saviours | War Is Upon Us**

Avery stood in the doorway to one of the clothing rooms as she watched the twins finish getting themselves ready for the big fight. The one main thing occurred to her after talking to James and that was the fact that she hasn't really talked to the twins as of yet. Not really, anyway. She could understand that they were making a huge decision on changing sides because they hated Tony Stark and his weaponry – it's the reason why their parents are dead. It's the reason why Winter went and recruited them in the first place under Hydra's orders.

"You two ready?" She announced her presence to them, making them jump just a little in their skin. In her hand were two small earpieces; the instruments they use during missions to communicate to each other on the field. She already had hers in and ready to use but the twins still needed them - they were, of course, apart of the Avengers' now.

Wanda was the first to speak up, her voice hesitant, "Winter? Uh, I mean yeah, we- we're ready." Quickly putting on the red jacket Pietro had thrown at her earlier. It did look pretty nice and it suited her hair colour.

The moment the name _'Winter'_ was mentioned, Ava couldn't help but grimace although didn't react as badly as she used to. "Call me Ava." She told the pair, rather using that name. "But on the field, you can call me that if you wish."

Pietro couldn't help it, the question that's been buzzing around in his head for ages was now slipping out. "Why didn't you tell us your name was Avery Rogers?" He asked, remembering the hurt he felt and he was sure his sister felt the same the moment they found out the truth. Winter had been someone they could count on at that point in their life and one she just … vanished. It was like she never existed and no one even breathed her name again.

Ava bowed her head, sighing in the realization that they didn't know yet. Part of her thought Ultron would have told them after finding her with the Avengers' … obviously not. "Because I didn't know I was." She simply replied, looking back up at them, still leaning against the doorway. This was still a touchy subject for her, "Back when you met me; I really was just the 'Winter Solider' and I was simply Hydra's tool. They made me become one back in 1949 when I was presumed dead … they erased my memories and completely eradicated anything to do with who I was."

Wanda didn't understand but was listening intently, "Why would they do that?"

Avery just sent them a humorless smile, "Let's just say that I was the convenient choice." She was closer than anyone to the two American Heroes and the fact of who she was made it even sweeter for Hydra, she had been the best choice in so many ways. She let out a breath, ready to direct the conversation somewhere else, "Anyway…" She began, pushing herself off the doorway, "We'll be heading out any minute and you two need one of these." Holding out her hand to show the two ear buds.

"What are they?" Pietro inquired, but could quickly guess by the looks of them. Both he and his sister each grabbed one, looking down at them.

"They're earpieces," Ava replied, gesturing her own here to show them she had one in too. "It'll keep us connected with you and officially, the both of you are now Avengers' if you want to be." The others had no disagreements with it … maybe Banner but that's about all. He was still touchy about what Wanda made him do but he knew if any of them were to survive today, they'd need the twins help in order to do so.

He just made it clear that if Wanda decided to warp his mind again – he'd most probably snap her neck without a second thought.

"Come on," She gestured them to follow her, "We have to meet up with the others now." Walking out the door first before hearing them follow close behind, putting in the little earpieces she had handed over to them just a second ago.

…

Avery had been looking for a brother after getting the Maximoff's into the Helicarrier with the others and she finally found him standing outside, looking towards the city from above. She made her way over, standing beside to look out with him. There was a deep look of thought planted in his features, his arms crossed over his chest. Where they were right now; it was dark in the sky and despite the lights of the city beaming about the place, you could still see many stars, some brighter than the rest.

It was a moment but it was Steve who spoke first, "Do you remember the time after dad's death?" He asked, going a direction that both of them were pretty surprised about. Ava looked over at him, her own arms crossed now but she sent him a bewildered look, not understanding where this conversation might now be heading.

After a second, Ava started to nod, she remembered that very well along with other certain memories. Many of them were still quite a blur but others were as clear as day. "Why?"

"Did something else happen?" He said instead, looking over to her this time with question in his eyes. Those few weeks after their father's death was something that always came back to him clearly. Especially how his twin had acted for a long time after his passing. "I mean; it never really came to me fully at the time but … there was something you weren't telling me. I can still see it now and it's something I really don't get … what aren't you telling me?"

"Steve-" She tried to direct the conversation away but he was having none of it because his head shook defiantly.

"-No." He said, not letting the subject go this time. He turned his body around so he faced her. Her own still facing outwards towards the city. "If its about our dad … then I have the right to know." He insisted.

That got Ava silent and she brought a hand over her mouth, feeling water appearing in the corners of her eyes. Steve paused for a second, just looking at her and at this point, he was completely sure there was something being hidden – something about their father in particular. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her around so she faced him and this time, she didn't fight him. "Please," He pleaded, wanting so badly to know. "Tell me. You don't have to keep this to yourself and I'm always going to be here for you, just as Bucky will be."

Avery stayed silent for a few more seconds before finally speaking, "I think _he_ did this to me." Her voice a little weak but there was an undeniable crack in it.

Steve's brow furrowed, not fully understanding, "What?"

"Dad." She told him, her voice stronger this time. Getting something off her chest that, like the pregnancy issue, has been on her chest for a _very_ long time, even if her memories HAD been gone for most of the duration. "I think … he's the reason I am the way I am today. The reason I have this metal arm … and the reason why Hydra chose _me_ specifically."

Steve just wasn't understanding why she'd think that – she was the daddy's girl, why the hell would their father even think about doing something like that? "Why the hell would you think something like that?" He asked, concerned. Their father couldn't possibly have been sided with Hydra? Right?

"His last words to me were ' _Don't let them change you – follow your own path'_. And at first, I really didn't understand but … it wasn't until Zola got me the second time that it all made sense." She paused, gathering herself, now wasn't the time to be falling apart when they had the world to save. "He … Dad was an _inventor,_ Steve. We were never actually told what he invented and it wasn't until Zola told me that it all fit into place. The solution that runs through my veins and the one that screwed with my brain was _dad's_ invention."

Steve never really did know their father as well as Ava did because she was the 'daddy's girl' while he was the 'mommy's boy'. But, all he could hear in her voice was the truth and his heart broke. Not only because he never realized that their father might have been apart of Hydra but the fact that he hadn't been able to protect his sister from them. If what she was saying was correct, she had been doomed the moment she was born and that angered him to the core.

Without another word, he just brought her into his chest, crushing her into a brotherly hug. Her head rested against his chest and accepted it, needing this kind of interaction right now after spouting out what she had just said. And again, it felt like another weight had been lifted off her chest, however, she knew that Steve would now have a different opinion against their father and _that_ _…_ she wasn't sure was a good or bad thing.

…

About ten minutes later, in the Quinjet, everyone was ready and waiting as they flew over several cities and much more. The Avengers' were sitting around, Steve and Bucky standing in front of them and Ava was close by Wanda and Pietro with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning against the wall. The Quinjet was being flown by one of Tony's AI's and because Jarvis was now installed in the Vision, he was now having to use Friday – his second most precious AI.

"Ultron knows we're coming." Steve was saying, looking to his team like a leader, much like Bucky was. Being Captain America and Lieutenant America gave them a lot of experience in making good speeches. "Odds are … we'll be riding into heavy fire, but that's what we signed up for."

Bucky nodded along, before continuing for his best friend, "But the people of Sokovia didn't." His eyes flickered over to the twins briefly, noticing the two holding hands and comforting each other in a way only twins knew. He's seen the same looks form on both Ava and Steve once upon a time too, back before all of the evil came into play. "Our priority, first and foremost, is getting as many people of there."

…

 _Pietro walked into Sokovia's only and local Police station with his lightning speed. Tthe officer's that noticed the way he came in, didn't react to it. They all figured they were seeing things, because really, it's been happening a lot lately. Nothing seemed to surprise them too much anymore._

" _We're under attack!" Pietro was shouting to everyone, looking around as he gained everyone's attention. Their heads perked up but they didn't seem to take him seriously, "Clear the city! Now!" Once he had finished talking, he vanished into thin air again. After blinking several times, the officers returned to their work and ignored the plea. One of the men even went back to playing a game of Spider Cards on his computer._

 _Pietro must have known they wouldn't take him seriously, but what he did next, made them. He zoomed back in with a large machine gun in hand – he shot several rounds into the ceiling to once again gain everyones FULL attention. They all gasped, some of them in fright, "Get off you asses!" He snapped with order in his voice, his accent coming out strong._

…

"… _ **All they want is to live their lives in peace..."**_

 _Wanda was successfully using her powers to get into the minds of the town's people; using her skill to change everyone's actions and started making them head out of town in a peaceful manner. Unfortunately, her power wasn't as strong as can be because she couldn't get into everyone's head. Someone would need to be extremely powerful in order to do something like that._

 _You could see the red flakes fluttering around the citizens, they were all clearly under Wanda's controlled control._

"… _ **and that's not going to happen today… but, we can do our best to protect them and get the job done…"**_

…

 _Thor smashed his way through tunnels and earth in order to reach the core of the city underground; he was tasked in finding out what Ultron's ultimate plan was and what he's about to find was the key to everything._

"… _ **We'll find out what Ultron's been building…"**_

 _Bruce walked in from the hole Thor made; he was tasked with finding Natasha and he planned on getting her out of the line of fire. He knew she was down here somewhere – Ultron would have kept her close, and this is where Clint said the signal was coming from, according to the codes that were shared._

"… _ **we find Romanoff and clear the field … we keep the fight between us…"**_

…

Back in the Quinjet, Steve looked down, "Ultron thinks we're monsters." He repeated the words of the bot they were trying to take down. "That _we're_ what's wrong with the world." Behind him, Bruce bowed his head in shame, because he knew that's exactly what he was, the green man inside of him was a monster just waiting to be free again.

Ava did something similar; she looked away for a second because she knew that even if most of her 'Avery-side' was back – there was still that nagging portion of the monster that kept her alive all these years.

"This isn't just about beating him," Steve continued, having seen his sister look away the moment he said his last words, "It's about whether he's right." Even he and Bucky weren't too sure anymore about what they were. Whether they were truly good and stand up for the right reasons or were they slowly and discreetly being shifted to the side they promised each other they'd never fight for? During their time at Shield, they were basically tricked into helping Hydra reach its near full potential. Maybe they were monsters too?

Everyone in this room had a monster within them – it's just the matter of whose is bigger, and who will cave into it eventually.

…

People were running, cars were honking and the Avengers' were trying all in their power to make sure everything stayed in order without chaos. They dotted themselves around enough to evacuate all the people Wanda wasn't able to reach with her powers and so far; there were a lot more people than originally thought. For such a small town compared to places like New York City, there were still a vast amount of people.

Clint, Ava, Bucky and Steve were the only ones trying to move the mass along the best they could – the others were obviously doing their part of the plan.

…

Tony was flying up in the air; heading towards a certain part of town the moment Friday said, _"Your man's in the church, boss."_ Friday had almost a female Irish accent to her voice. _"I think he's waiting for you."_ According to the Vision; Ultron hated him the most, almost full-on hatred. Well, that's obviously what he gets for trying to make the world a better place.

Tony's feet touched down in the church Friday directed him to, his heavy metal feet clinking against the stone floor. Ultron stood there behind without saying anything for a moment – inside his mind, he knew his plan was working out to the 'T'. "Come to confess your sins?" His grave voice asked in his usual robotic yet human voice.

"I don't know." Tony played along when Ultron's voice was heard from behind. He was tasked in stalling Ultron as long as possible while the others got the civilians out of town. "How much time you got?"

The sound of very heavy metal feet sounded, the noise echoing through the church dome. Tony spun round in surprise and his head had to turn upwards when he got a full sight at what Ultron looked like now. He was double, almost triple the size of what he used to be – in other words, he looked like a robotic giant.

"Uhh…" Tony murmured uneasily, actually taking a few steps back when Ultron moved closer to him. "Have you been juicing? A little Vibranium cocktail?" He questioned in a distracting way – he figured he'd be fighting the Ultron they've seen before. The one that was about the same size of him, maybe just a touch bigger. "You're looking … I don't want to say ' _puffy_ '-" Ultron finally stopped him.

"-You're stalling to protect the people." The bot already knew what they had planned to a degree. The Avengers' decisions can be very foreseeable.

Tony couldn't disagree, "Well, that is the mission. Did you forget?"

"I've moved beyond your mission." Ultron replied, "I'm _free._ "

Suddenly, the ground started shaking and within a second – something smashed its way up to the surface from beneath the church, right in the centre of it. Tony stumbled back but didn't fall when he was almost knocked off balance – he stared at the machine that now pinned itself to the surface and he realised something in that moment – Ultron had been stalling him too. The notion was confirmed by what the bot said next.

"What?" Ultron almost had a mocking tone to his voice as he tilted his head, "You think _you_ were the only one stalling?"

The machine had three flaps that secured itself to the ground and a main console stationed in the middle, at the height of a small table. The design looked very complicating, but Tony was only worried about what it would do. Friday quickly examined the device from what Tony could see and her report came immediately after, _"There's the rest of the Vibranium."_ She informed him. Inside Tony's helmet, he could see the schematic of how far the machine went down beneath the surface, and it was VERY far down. It was past the two-thousand metre marker, _"Function, still unclear."_

"This is how you end, Tony." Ultron continued, breaking Tony out of his examining mode. "THIS is peace in _my_ time."

…

On the surface of Sokovia, hundreds, probably thousands of Ultron bots started breaking out of the ground, dragging themselves out of rivers, climbing up the side of the city and a lot of them were just simply flying into the city. People started screaming, running away from them as explosions burst from many places around them.

At this point, the Avengers were now fighting, yelling at all the civilians to run towards the opposite direction of the fights. The Vision, however, was about to complete his main part of the plan.

"Ultron." Vision's voice appeared above the robotic man, he was flying down slowly with his feet underneath him. Upon hearing this new being hovering down, Ultron slowly flew up to meet him in the air, both now suspended in the middle of the old church ruins.

"My vision." Ultron murmured, looking completely crushed within but did not full let it show. The thing in front of him was the exact _vision_ he had been dreaming of making since his own birth into this world and now … it was gone. Something he could never get back because of those wretched Avengers. "They really did take everything from me."

The Vision wanted to get down to business because like he said back at the tower – he didn't want to destroy Ultron, but if he didn't stop what was happening, thousands or more people will die because of it. "You set the terms." He said, hoping to change Ultron's mind about what he's planning. "You can change them."

At this point, anger was now set in. "All right." Ultron replied but only a second later, his metal hands were tightly wrapped around the Vision's neck, intent on destroying what was once his creation. The one thing he didn't expect was what came after and that was Vision's fingers connecting with his head. A strange sensation quickly covered his entire body. Something inside of him was changing – something he didn't want to happen. The Vision was ripping him away from something he dearly needed if things should go south.

The Vision was killing every cell in his make-up that was connected to the internet – the thing that brought him into what he is today. Ultron tried in earnest to get the being off him but didn't succeed, he was too deeply connected and the process was almost over by that point.

The moment Vision let go of Ultron, he passed out and the bot recoiled while holding his head. "You shut me out." He growled, glaring at the Vision's falling body. He grabbed the being around the neck again before slamming him into the ground with a little too much force than necessary. "You think I care?" At that moment, he decided what to do next. "You take away my world; I'll take away yours." Were the last words spoken out of his mouth before he flew over to the device in the middle of the church – he twisted a dial, and thus, revealing his true plan for the city of Sokovia.

…

All around the city, the ground rumbled and shook, almost knocking many people over. Some would think it was just an earthquake but the magnitude just didn't feel right. The fact that other circumstances didn't fit the situation was also another factor. At the edges of Sokovia, a circle around the city began to form and spread apart, a long river of pavement and roads starting falling through the ground and down to the deep below. Anyone still left in the city was being cut off from freedom – there was no way off or out of the city now.

Each of the Avengers were each near the edges of these falling parts to the city and they could do nothing but watch in horror as many of the civilians become victims of the rubble. And suddenly, the part of the city they were on started to rise into the air, the other half of the city they were cut off from being left behind on the ground. It's like they were on a hovercraft and by the looks of it, the city was going for a ride.

" _Can you see…"_ An echoed voice appeared around the city – it was Ultron's voice coming out of his lackey bots that were trying to destroy the city from within. _"…the beauty of it?"_ The real Ultron was hovering high up in the sky, watching as his creation did exactly what he expected. _"The inevitability … you rise, only to fall … and you, Avengers, you are my meteor…"_

As the city rose higher into the sky, several thousand meters above where the city had originally been stationed, houses and buildings began crumbling at the sides along with any wildlife and people around them.

" _My swift and terrible sword … and the earth will crack with the weight of your failure. You purge me from your computers, turn my own flesh against me … it means nothing and when the dust settles, the only thing living in this world ... will be metal."_

…

Ava grunted when the back of her head smacked into a pane of glass, her body having been thrown back into the side of a car. Without a care about what might injuries she might have gained, she quickly got up before the bot had a chance to finish what it started. She grabbed a large sliver of metal that was probably part of some remains of the metal army they've been fighting. When the bot came flying back to her, she threw it with exact precision and it sliced the metal being in half, severing its power connection from the rest of it's body.

Tony's voice suddenly appeared in her ear, "Cap, Lieutenant, Winter – you've got incoming."

Bucky threw his shield into one of his own while several dozens more bots started appearing around the three. "You think?" He muttered sarcastically.

Steve had also been thrown into something, a truck. "Incoming already came in." He groaned, the hit to his stomach giving him after-grief.

People around them were still screaming but this is because they literally had no where to go and these bots were now everywhere. They had nowhere to hide but pray that they don't get killed.

Ava didn't really care about the fact that he called her Winter this time, she's gotten over it at this point. Besides, now _really_ wasn't the time to dance around the subject. People's lives were at stake. "Stark, just find a way to bring this city down safely, we'll deal with the rest."

Steve and Bucky agreed, "The rest of us have one job and that's tear these things apart." Steve said, knowing that everyone could hear him through the channel. "You get hurt, hurt them back. And if you get killed … walk it off."

…

" _All right … we're all clear here."_ Clint's voice appeared in the earpiece the moment Steve threw his shield into several metal beings one by one – sort of like a ping pong machine, each of them crumbling to the ground the moment they get hit.

"We are not clear!" Bucky yelled back, there were dozens around the three of them right now and they just kept on coming. They were like cockroaches; you kill one but more just come back to bite you in the arse. "We are VERY not clear." Ava caught the shield Bucky threw to her and crushed her next incoming machine with it successfully before throwing it back. She had already used up all her rounds so now all she had were little electricity batons and anything around her. The electrifying batons were similar to the ones Natasha was using on her side of the city with the green guy right nor.

" _All right, coming to you."_ Clint said before the radio went silent once again.

…

Way over to the side of the rising city, Tony was still struggling as he tried to figure out a susceptible way of getting Sokovia back down safely with no loss of life. And so far, he's the definition of nothing at this point.

" _The anti-gravs are rigged to flipped."_ Friday's voice replied to his previous inquiry on a plan. Tony missed his Jarvis but Friday was also great at her job. _"If you touch them, they'll just go full-reverse thrust."_ Tony cursed under his breath, another hypothetical plan destroyed, _"The city's not coming down slow."_

His mind was reeling, "The spire is Vibranium, so maybe if I can get Thor to hit it…" But Friday put a stop to that one too.

" _It'll crack."_ She told him. _"That's not enough and the impact would still be devastating."_

Tony was now flying beneath the city, watching the waves of blue fire and exhausts underneath, the very things that were propelling Sokovia further upwards. "Maybe we can cap the other end and keep the atomic action doubling back?"

" _But that could vaporize the city ... and everyone on it."_

…

Soon later, the first round of bots was all but extinct, however, sure enough there could be a lot more on their way. Many people had stopped screaming, mostly because of sore throats and right now there wasn't much to scream about … unless you count how high they've risen in the sky. Dust and smoke was covered around the buildings and all the places explosions had occurred. Mostly everyone was finding shelter within the best standing buildings that were left. The Avengers', however, were still outside, trying to figure out what their next move will be.

They couldn't keep fighting these things forever and the city may begin falling any second – it really depends on what mood Ultron's in at that point.

"The next wave's gonna hit any minute." Bucky said, his and he was sure everyone's body would be panting with exhaustion by this time. "Stark, what have you got?" Ava and Steve were next to him, making sure everyone was running into the buildings for shelter. They looked strong enough that it won't collapse in and right now, the civilians needed extreme cover if another round was going to be coming in again.

There was a moments paused before Tony's voice finally came through, _"Well, it's nothing great."_ He said with a sad and disappointed tone. " _Maybe a way to blow up the city … that'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear."_

"No way." Ava countered back, shaking her head clearly. There was no way in hell that she was jumping off this rock and leaving all these people to die. There was already so much death under her that it was unbearable to begin with – if this rock was going to be blown out of the sky, then she'd stay instead of running away like a wimp. "There's no way in hell that we can leave these people on this rock just to save ourselves." They'd become Hydra if that plan went through.

Steve agreed, "Buck asked for a solution, not an escape plan."

" _The impact radius is getting bigger and bigger every second."_ Tony was at a loss for what to do. As of right now, he couldn't think of any other plan that might have a possibility of working where everyone survived. Both them _and_ whoever's left in the rising part of Sokovia. _"We're gonna have to make a choice."_

Natasha walked up to them from the side after having gotten everyone into the building. The four of them were now near the edge of the city, watching the clouds pass as the city continued to rise. "Guys, these people aren't going nowhere." There was a look of acceptance on her face, "If Stark finds a way to blow this rock…" Her words drained out.

"Not until everyone's safe." Bucky said in a hard tone – they shouldn't call themselves the Avengers if they were going to leave hundreds, maybe thousands to die.

"Everyone up here versus everyone down there?" Natasha countered, knowing which logic she'd choose but did agree with the three of them on one point. She wouldn't leave this rock to save herself either – she's had a good enough life, maybe its time to finally go out swinging? "There's no math there."

Ava shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest, "I'm not leaving this rock with one person left on it." She stated, acceptance and power in her voice. She looked between the three, "After everything I've done since becoming Winter … not after that, I couldn't live with myself if I even thought of going along with that absurd plan."

Natasha smiled slightly, looking saddened at what she was about to say next, "I never said we should leave and besides, there's worse ways to die." And she shrugged, seeing confused looks on their faces. Realizing what she had said also. All four of them were on the same page about something. Natasha turned to Ava full on, "You know, Ava, you were the one who taught me everything I know today, especially how much someone can change. And … even though I thought you left me back then, I understand, I really do."

There was a moment of silence, mostly because the boys had absolutely no idea what Natasha was talking about but Ava, on the other hand, just sent a grateful look towards the redhead. There was an understanding between them – they were teammates and friends. But the bond between them was more than that – Natasha had grown up looking up to Winter as a form of a little sister, one that Ava would now do anything to protect. The two of them went through something that no one else would be able to understand and that's what kept them as equals.

"And besides…" Natasha continued, looking towards the sky, this time, seeing the beautiful blue sky with a dozen or so pearly white clouds. "Where else am I gonna get a view like this?"

Suddenly there was a crackle in the earpieces and a familiar voice appeared in them, one neither of the Avengers' have heard in a long while. _"Glad you like the view, Romanoff."_ Nick Fury. _"It's about to get better."_

Not even a second later, something massive appeared in front of them but was rising faster than the city was. And it was very familiar too, something of the past some would say for everyone but Ava and the Maximoff's. Appearing before them was the Helicarrier that was used during the battle of New York a few years ago, the one that was shut down during the take down of both Shield and Hydra.

Everyone in the buildings ran to the windows and looked out with awe and hope, seeing the familiar thing that appeared on TV many years ago. They knew deep down that they were saved now – they were going to get out of this alive.

" _Nice, right?"_ You could almost hear the smirk in Fury's proud voice. _"Pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She'd dusty, but she'll do."_ This was the reason why he left – a part of him knew he'd need to get this bird flying again if something big were to happen, and it's a good thing he did just that.

A chuckle left Steve's lips, "Fury, you son of a bitch." This reaction caused the three beside him to chuckle also, but it was mostly because of the unexpected language he just used.

" _Ooh!"_ Fury exclaimed, pleasantly surprised, _"You kiss your mother with that mouth?"_ He was just like Stark in that department, no matter how much either of them hated each other's guts. At this point, Pietro had sped over to them, stopping just beside Ava and looking out - just as hovers transports started making their way towards the city. They were transport pods for people; every civilian was getting off this rock and not one was going to be left behind.

Pietro was looking at the sight with amazement, "This is S.H.I.E.L.D?"

Ava glanced over to him with a smile, "This is what S.H.I.E.L.D is _supposed_ to be." Not having a problem with it if they were saving people like right now. When the massive amount of guns come in – then, she'd have a problem.

He smiled, looking actually excited because he knew he was an Avenger now. "This is not so bad." Any kind of hatred or loathing he had for Stark or anything else that's happened has pretty much been wiped away after today. Because, if it wasn't for him and Wanda, Ultron wouldn't have gotten as far as he did. And, this battle right now was pretty much all their fault on some level.

But no more – he wanted to save people and he wanted to use this power of his for good, just as the others were doing.

…

As soon as the hover pods touched down on the ground, people started rushing out of the buildings in order to get into one. The town's officers started to help get everyone on board, putting the people first instead of their own safety like they should do.

Back in the church; Ultron had Thor in his grasp, the metal hand gripped tightly around the God's neck much like he had done to the Vision earlier on, "You think your saving anyone?" Ultron questioned him, the man struggling in his hold, "I turn that key and drop this rock a little early and its still _billions_ dead." The dial was slowly turning like a ticking clock, a reminder to what's really happening. "Even YOU can't stop that."

Thor grunted, trying to struggle out of the hold but it wasn't doing any good, it was just making the grip tighter. "I am Thor, son of Odin…" He spoke, and Ultron didn't realise but he was actually being stalled. There was a small plan in all this. "…and as long as there is life in my breast…" His mind went blank and he mentally groaned, although, the thing he had been waiting for just appeared behind the main bot of the operation. "…I am running out of things to say! Are you ready?"

Before Ultron could even be able to fully comprehend what Thor meant, he felt something smash into his face so hard that his body went flying back at a very fast speed, smashing through various buildings and away from the church. The Vision had used Thor's hammer in order to achieve this – saving Thor in the process of being strangled.

Thor coughed while regaining his breath, heaving himself up before calling the Mjolnir back into his hand. There were many bruises and cuts on the skin of his body, especially his face but all the Avengers' looked like hell at this point.

"It's terribly well-balanced." The Vision commented, referring to the hammer he had just used to save the God.

Thor panted a little, more than slightly exhausted, "Well, if there's too much weight, you lose power on the swing, so…" His words drowned out as he made a small example of a swing.

…

While Tony was firing out at bots that had appeared in the air, trying to take down the Helicarrier, the right plan formed in his head. "I got it!" He cried, knowing exactly what they could do. "Create a heat seal. I could-" He narrowly dodged a bot trying to ram into him, "-I could supercharge the spire from below."

Friday seemed to think it was a viable plan, _"Running numbers!"_ It was almost like an excited tone she used. While she was calculating everything to see if the plan would work, Tony had to save one of the falling transporters one of the bots was able to blow a thruster out of. " _A heat seal could work with enough power."_ She finally revealed.

Tony grunted, the transporter was very heavy, especially while holding it thousands of feet in the air, "Thor," He called loudly, knowing the earpiece would work, "I got a plan."

" _We're out of time."_ Thor replied, sounding grim, _"They are coming for the core."_

"Damn it." Tony swore under his breath before turning his attention to somewhere else, "Rhodey, get the rest of the people on board that carrier." He made sure to get the transporter vehicle from his back and into the Helicarrier.

" _On it."_

Tony started flying towards the church where Thor was, doubling his speed to get their faster, "Avengers … it's time to work for a living."

…

In soon enough time; all the Avengers' were gathered in the church, protecting the machine that decided whether or not the city will start crashing towards the Earth, obliterating billions. There was only one person missing, Natasha, something of which Tony noticed. The big guy was also non-existent within the church too.

"Romanoff…" Tony's voice came out as partially teasing, "You and Banner better not be playing ' _Hide the Zucchini'_." He would tease Bruce too but as the man is most likely the big guy right still - it was safe to just not to.

" _Relax, shellhead."_ She replied back through the earpiece, and on the other side of the line she just happened to be rolling her eyes at the question. It was very typical of Tony to say something like that. _"Not all of us can fly."_ About a second after saying this, she appeared before them, driving towards the church in a massive truck, hitting as many bots in the process.

The other Avengers' were finishing up the last of the machines coming at them as she ran over, killing another herself. Natasha looked around, "What's the drill?"

Tony pointed towards the metal machine in the middle of the church, "This is the drill." He said, "If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose." A humongous smash sounded from outside – the big guy had arrived for the party and still looked to be itching for some more action.

Everyone turned to look outside one of the church's arch when Ultron could be seen from afar; slowly bringing himself down to the ground in a hover. There were a few bots around him, waiting, but none others could be seen. Thor took this the wrong way – thinking there wasn't many left after all the ones they've destroyed. "Is that the best you can do?!" He yelled out, looking completely fearless but most of all, stupid.

They didn't see it but Ultron smirked and the moment his arm rose – hundreds of his disciples came running towards him - like he was the master calling upon his servants to come to him. Everyone's eyes widened at the church at the mass of them heading their way.

Ava let out a breath in an annoyed manner, "Seriously?" She gave Thor a look as to which he had the decency to shrug apologetically with a sheepish look, "You just HAD to say that?" He basically just jinxed the entire thing. Others around him were also sending a similar look but stayed silent as the crowd of bots started to stop, waiting for their next orders.

"This-" Ultron gestured to all his little minions, "Is the best I can do." Answering Thor's previous yet stupid question. "This is exactly what I wanted … all of you … against all of me." He paused, "How can you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Well, like the elders said…" Gesturing over to Steve, Bucky, and Ava who frowned with narrowed eyes at the term he had just used for them. "…together."

At the moment the big guy let out a massive roar – Ultron's lackeys started bolting towards them, ready to fight. It was less than a few seconds before the things were crawling around the church ruins, trying to get in from every angle and entrance way they could. But the more that came – the more the Avengers' destroyed each with weapons and their bare hands.

They worked in union … as a team and one by one, bots was smashed to smithereens.

No matter how hard the bots tried, one of the Avengers' always seemed to catch them in time before reaching the machine in the middle. They didn't have a chance and the Avengers' seemed to be doing quite well so far – no matter how much damage had been done to them before this final showdown.

When Ultron noticed that all his efforts weren't enough and that none of his creations were getting anywhere; he decided to take matters into his own hands. But it didn't work out too well; the Vision was able to get him, throwing him over to the side of the building while the others continued to destroy the bots. The Vision created some kind of beam that came out of the amber jewel in his head and it hit Ultron with full force – making Ultron crash into the wall again the moment he tried to get up. And at one point; another ripple caused him to fly through the wall this time and fly out of the building.

Thor joined the Vision outside, using electricity that flowed through the Mjolnir to hit Ultron. Now two power sources were counteracting with the metal man's current body, and not too soon after, Tony joined in with both his hands sending out power beams. Now there were four sources taking him down.

Slowly but surely, Ultron's body began melting under the pressure and heated cracks started to appear. At the point that each Avenger knew enough damage had been done, they stopped. Ultron groaned from where he was lying down on the ground and his body slowly heaved up with several uneasy grunts. "You know," He voice crackled like part of his voice was damaged, "With the benefit of hindsight…" He started but could no longer talk because suddenly he felt himself fly through the sky.

The big guy, aka, Bruce Banner, punched him square in the face with so much force that Ultron's body will probably end up landing at the edge of this rock with a dented metal skull. The big guy growled and turned, and upon seeing a line of bots that were still left, he growled again and bolted towards them. They tried running away from the big guy but it did no use – they were ripped to pieces within seconds.

Many of the surviving bots began trying to fly away in order to save themselves for their master. This was something Thor noticed right away. "They'll try to leave the city."

"We can't let them, not even one." Tony said, knowing how disastrous that could end up becoming. It could easily become a second Sokovia event in the near future if something like that should happen. There can't be any surviving bots left … no matter what. "Rhodey." He prompted through the earpiece, communicating with his fellow friend and War Machine.

" _I'm on it."_ Rhodey replied in an affirmative tone.

…

As the last bot was destroyed within the vicinity; Steve turned to everyone left in the church and just like he thought, they all survived the attack. "All right, we gotta move out." He said, breathing a little deeper than he usually would and he could tell the others were too. It could just be the exhaustion but it wasn't just that – they were getting to the point in the sky where air would soon become non-existent if the city didn't stop rising. "Even I can tell the air is getting thin."

Bucky turned to Natasha and Clint, "You two get to the boats and we'll sweep for stragglers." Referring to him, Steve and Ava. The three of them were basically built to get through anything and they could get through with little air. Natasha and Clint however, well, they were simply human no matter how good their battle talents were. "We'll be right behind you."

Clint frowned, not liking the idea of leaving the three to do the rest of the work, "What about the core?"

Wanda quickly made the snap decision, but she knew it was the right one, "I'll protect it." She told them, refusing them to take that job away from her. She had a lot to make up for and this was a good start towards that redemption she needed. She noticed Clint sending her a concerned look, but she sent him a reassuring one back, "It's my job."

Clint sighed but nodded anyway, "Nat." He said, getting his best friend's attention, "This way." He gestured through a hole in the wall, letting her know which way they needed to go.

As Bucky and Steve started to go the other way, Ava turned to the Maximoff's with a stern look, "You two be careful." She told them, not wanting anything to happen to either of them. The twins gave a nod of promise before Pietro stood beside his sister, ready to help her protect the machine for as long as it takes.

…

Tony was flying towards the bottom of the city, about to initiate the plan in his head. _"Boss,"_ Friday interrupted his thoughts, " _Power levels are way below-"_ He interrupted her.

"Reroute everything." He told her, "We only have one shot at this." He was more than determined to end this once and for all and get everyone out of here safely.

Including them.

…

About ten minutes later, every civilian was on a boat and Steve, Thor, and Ava were together. Bucky was making a quick second round in the area just to be completely sure everyone was out of Sokovia. "Is this the last of them?" Thor questioned the Roger's twins the moment the last few people made it onto the hover transporter.

"Yeah." Steve nodded, breathing deeper. "Everyone's else is on the carrier."

Tony's voice came through again, _"You know, if this works, we maybe don't walk away."_

"Maybe not." Thor agreed, their chances were slim as it was.

Ava was looking around as they spoke and she couldn't see James anywhere. He must still be looking around and with that thought, she looked between the boys, "I'm gonna go find James." She told them, starting to walk back. She turned to her brother for a second, "And Steve-" Directing her voice to her brother this time, "-get your ass on the boat."

…

" _Help me!"_ Bucky heard a small voice from the side which caught his heightened hearing. He had been on his way back towards the hover transporters when he stopped, walking towards the voice he was sure he heard. And as he thought; he noticed a small boy over to the side with a gash on the side of his head, his skin covered in dirt. He was stuck in a hole, one that was probably caused by an explosion and then the kid just fell in at some point.

"Hey," Bucky immediately went over to the kid and bent down in order to get him out. He was able to pull the boy up and the moment he did, there was a small body clutching onto his upper body. Bucky held him in his arms tightly; the kid was under seven years old by the looks of it.

After getting a good enough grip on him, he turned around and was ready to head towards the hovers … but something made him stop dead in his tracks. There was a glider flying in the sky, continuously shooting out and it was heading towards their direction. The thought suddenly occurred to him; he forgot to pick up his shield and it was probably still by the hovers where he left it. He had no barrier and he only had a second to react, he didn't have enough time to duck for cover because there was none.

So, with a split decision, he made his choice – he turned around quickly in order to protect the boy from getting hurt and clenched his eyes shut in anticipation.

He waited for the impact to hit.

Except … nothing came. And the only thing he heard was a loud shift and a startling gasp coming from a woman's mouth.

When his mind processed the fact that no bullet had gone through him … he looked up. And when he did, his whole body shook with horror at the sight before him. There was a scrunched up car on its side behind him and the boy like it was used as a shield – but that wasn't what ripped his heart out. Barely standing there was Avery to the side of the car shield and … there were several bloody bullet holes through her entire body, but one, in particular, went right through her chest.

No words came out of either of their mouths until Ava's last words spoke, her breath a little breathy but slowly died as they arrived, _"James Buchanan Barnes .._. _I love you."_ Uttering the three words she hasn't spoken since the day she 'died'.

And, as those final words were spoken, her eyes rolled back and her body fell forwards to the ground.

Her last breath releasing into the thin air.

 **Oh, dear … a cliff-hanger.**

 _ **Don't worry – it's not the end. Two or three more chapters left.**_

 **Fav, Follow and Review!**


	22. Not Real

**The inspiration I guess you could say from this chapter came from both Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Can you guess which episodes they may be from…?**

 **ALSO:** For those of you who have mentioned to me about Friday's voice being Irish, you were completely right and I have changed it. Thank you so much for telling me!

 **Avengers: Age of Ultron | Saviours | Not Real…**

 _Avery's head kept turning from side to side, her hearing peeled to it's maximum in order to find the person she was looking for. James was still nowhere to be found and she knew they didn't have much time left before the city finally started to fall. It was just as she turned a corner to another street that she noticed him. A sigh of relief left her mouth, her shoulders heaving down when she noticed him completely okay._

 _But, that feeling didn't last for long. As she watched him bend down to help a small boy out of a hole, her hearing picked up something else – something loud and heading their way. She was only a couple of meters away from the two but her head turned sidewards and what she saw … struck her to the core. A glider was heading towards the exact direction where James and the boy were – shooting continuously and striking anything that moved._

 _Her feet seemed to carry themselves, her mind not fully registering what plan she was about to go through with but the instincts completely took over her. Somehow, and only in a few seconds, she suddenly felt multiple sharp points hit her and go right through. The next thing Ava knew - she was standing near James and the boy, a turned over car being used as a shield to cover them and her body appeared to have several identical holes through it. One in particular – through her heart._

 _The last thing she saw were two soft brown eyes that were now filled with horror and the last words on the tip of her tongue would be her last, "James Buchanan Barnes … I love you…"_

 _After that, her whole world went dark._

Avery's eyes snapped open, almost as if someone had stuck her with something to wake her up. With a few seconds to adjust to her surroundings, it took an extra moment to realize she had woken up in a dark room with a small patch of light streaming from a pair of blinds. Her hand reached up to her face, wiping her eyes to fully calibrate herself to the new surroundings.

Slowly sitting up on the soft mattress she seemed to have been laying on, she had a good look around the room. It was a bedroom, but it wasn't one she was familiar with at all. It wasn't her own back at the tower and it wasn't Steve or James's either. It didn't even look like any room the Barton's farm house had also.

Avery looked down at herself and her eyes widened, her eyesight more specifically looking towards her left arm. It was human. The one limb that had been ripped off during her fall from the train looked completely fine - like it had never been replaced by metal in the first place. She was wearing a silk dress that women would wear to bed and her long hair was still the same. It looked more like her original hair colour – the tone before the experiments.

Quickly getting out of the bed, she rushed over to the mirror that was hanging on the wall. When she looked at herself through it, the confirmation that she hadn't been seeing things hit her. She looked exactly like she did before Zola got his filthy hands on her and there were absolutely no scars anywhere on her body.

"What the hell…" She breathed to herself, her eyebrows furrowing, actually pinching herself to see if this was actually happening. The pinch hurt, so it must be real … but ... this didn't make any sense at all.

In the mirror, she caught something behind her, a row of photos frames. Slowly turning around, she walked over to them, never letting her eyes leave the spot. "This doesn't make any sense." She muttered to herself, shaking her head while picking one photo up in particular. Her heart constricted when she looked at it – it wasn't real, something was messing with her mind. It wouldn't be the first time some bastards had done that to her.

Yes, that had to be it.

In the photograph was her in the 21st century; she was standing in the middle of Central Park holding hand with a guy she's never even seen before. There was a beam of happiness on both his lips and on hers. There was one thing she didn't understand, there was a small little girl between them with dark hair and hazel eyes. This little girl looked exactly like her as a small child and this man was definitely not her James – this guy had black hair and baby blue eyes, his attire full of plaid clothing and jeans.

The shrill of a phone ringing to the side made her jump a little, her head sharply turning to it. She stared at the machine for a few seconds before picking up the receiver. "Hello?" She said cautiously into the receiver.

" _Hun, you're awake."_ A surprised male's voice replied, _"I thought you'd still be asleep."_

Who the hell was this?

It took a moment for Ava to even figure out how she was going to reply. "Uh, no. I, um … I just woke up…" Maybe this guy knows where she is? He seemed to know her.

" _Oh, good … listen, Mike's keeping me at the office for a few more hours so just make sure to take your meds-"_ Ava cut him off.

"-My meds?" She asked in a confused manner, her brows furrowing as she moved away from the row of pictures, placing the one in her hand down flat-faced.

A sigh could be heard over the line _, "They're beside your bed with a glass of water – please, make sure to take them. You know the Doctor specifically told you to."_ Ava looked over to the side of the bed she had been lying beside and sure enough, there was a tall glass of water and a bottle of prescription pills sitting next to it. She started heading over to them the moment the mystery man continued talking, _"Steve's going to be bringing Madison home today; she'll be home by three."_

"…Right…" Ava distantly mumbled out, missing the part about Steve as she stared down at the bottle of pills. Looking closer at the bottle's label, it read, _'Sleep Hallucinations – one pill to be given after waking up and one before bed'_.

" _Okay, I gotta go before Mike bites my head off."_ The man said once again, sounding dismayed. _"Make sure to take those meds, please … I love you, Av."_

Avery just felt a little creeped out now that he said that – maybe it's the guy from the photos? This girl Madison must also be the kid from the picture. "Uh, huh." She pretty much hummed without expressing emotion, ending the call before another word from the man's mouth could be said. The phone dropped from her hand along with the pills, both objects making a noise when they hit the hardwood flooring underneath her feet. There was no way any of those pills were getting anywhere near her mouth. God know who these people are because something weird was going on and she didn't like it one bit.

She wouldn't be surprised if Hydra had something to do with it.

…

Avery was walking down the house stairway after having gazed out of the bedroom window for a few minutes - it was clear that she was currently in a two-story building somewhere in town. Climbing down the stairs; there were more pictures hanging on the wall and they were basically from her whole fake life, or whatever was happening right now. All the way from being a baby with whom she could guess was Steve … but this Steve wasn't tiny like he was before the serum. One photo that made her look away was her in a hospital, holding a small pink bundle in her arms, a small baby cocooned inside.

' _This is just some weird dream.'_ She thought to herself, knowing that photo, in particular, couldn't be real. She wasn't able to have children, let alone carry one to full term. Hydra made sure of that many years ago. Besides, according to these pictures, the house and from what she saw outside – its like she was born _way_ after her actual birth date. In human years, she should probably be closer to the dying age rather than her thirty-year-old self.

She was now clothed in the normal attire she usually wore around Tony's building and from what she could see, everything around this place (other than the obvious) seemed … normal. Or what normal would be called for a small growing family with a completely standard human life. Looking deeper into the house earlier; she noticed no weapons, no uniforms and nothing that could insinuate that she was being locked in this place by outside means ... or even inside means.

The thing that's been coming back to her was that before the war and everything else happened; this was the kind of life she wanted … the kind of life she longed for with James. But wherever she was, she couldn't find him anywhere. There were no pictures of him and no indication that he even existed – she even tried looking through one of those phone books but still … nothing.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Ava's head snapped over to it and through the fogged glass on either side of the door, she noticed two bold colours emanating from the other side, most likely from two different people. Curiously, she went over to the door and opened it – and whom she saw standing there made her heart lift a little with hope.

Steve.

" _Mummy!"_ A little girl's voice cried with happiness and Ava instantly felt a small body colliding with her lower half – she was being hugged by a child - one that called her ' _Mummy'_. The confused soldier looked down at the girl and a swell of something warm appeared in her chest, something that accumulated too quickly to stop. Being called ' _Mummy_ ' was an Avery Roger's dream she had with James.

Ava was stuck for a second – unsure of what to do. Maybe Steve knew what the hell was going on?

"Um … sweetheart," She started saying, trying to imitate a mother which for her was a lot trickier than it sounded, "Why don't you go do your, uh … homework while I talk to your … Uncle." He must be Madison's uncle from what she could gather. Especially if she's supposed to be the mother of this small child.

A small excited beam crossed the girl's lips when she pulled away from her mother, "Okay." She started skipping away, the backpack bouncing around on her back as she went. Madison disappeared to a part of the house she hasn't even fully explored yet, _"Bye Uncle Steve!"_ Her voice echoed through the hallways as she vanished.

As soon as Ava was alone with her brother, she couldn't help but hug him, making him actually stumble back on his feet. "Woah there…" His voice chuckled into her ear, hugging back with the same tightness of grip. He was obviously surprised but it seemed like a pleasant one.

"You have _no idea_ how glad I am to see you right now." She mumbled into his neck, shaking her head while the familiar smell of him eased her tensions. She pulled away from him, looking his body up and down. He looked exactly like her Steve but without the Captain America uniform. "Steve, now, what the HELL is going on?" She got straight to the questioning – he must know what's going on, he's the only one either in person or through pictures that she's recognized.

Steve's features started to morph into a confused one, something she didn't expect, "Av, what are you talking about?" He questioned, a concerned frown lifting on his lips.

"Is this Hydra's doing?" Passing his question with a demand, her voice getting mildly irritated as she continued, "I knew there could be a few of those weasels left but I didn't think they'd do something this extreme to my head. And, and where's James?!-" She was stopped by her brother's hands being placed on her shoulders with the strength to make her shut up for a second – his eyes connected with her own.

"-Ava." He started as if he was trying to get through to a deep part of her, "…You haven't taken your meds today have you." He guessed with a correct assumption.

"Of course not!" She snapped, actually pushing off his hands, this wasn't her brother – it definitely couldn't be. "This is just another one of Hydra's filthy tricks to break me." They've done similar things to her in the past but it's never been this vivid … everything felt _so_ real.

"Hydra?..." Steve repeated and after a moment, a sigh left his lips, his own head shaking this time. "Avery, there is NO Hydra. There's no one called James, there's no Avengers, there was no battle in Sokovia that either of us fought in and no one called Dr. Zola kidnapped you to experiment with." Ava looked at him with a stunned look, "Everything is in your head – ever since the … incident … you've been having vivid hallucinations of these things and _every time_ you've had an episode. That's what the meds are for – they're to keep you here in reality. But even then, sometimes they don't work."

There was a confliction growing in her. "What are you talking about … what incident?" Unsure if she really wanted to hear what he was going to say next.

Steve placed his hands on her shoulders again, rubbing them gently, almost like he's done this more than a couple times before today. "When you were eleven; there was an accident in dad's lab. You … You saw him _die,_ Av, and that kind of trauma on a child along with being in the blast set you back. From what the doctors could tell, your mind wasn't able to fully deal with what happened so a part of you created another world where you had another life. One that lets you escape this one even if it's just for a short amount of time."

Everything he was saying sounded true and that's what's causing the confliction. She couldn't tell which was real and which was not. It was like … like she was fighting who she was between the Winter Soldier and Avery Rogers again.

But, even as he says all of these things, why doesn't she remember ANYTHING about THIS life or even anything around her. If the world where she's Avery Rogers aka The Winter Soldier was the fake, then why did she remember pretty much every single detail about that place when she knew jack about this one? Something wasn't right…

"Right…" She finally spoke, seeing her brother waiting for an answer or at least some kind of response to what he had just said. She gave him a small fake laugh - like she was realizing something that he had initiated, "Right, of course, sorry, my head's just a bit … muddled this morning. I should really go take those pills before my head gets any messier." She joked. "And um, thanks for bringing Madison home, too." Hoping she got the right name. "I owe you one."

Steve waved a hand in the air, basically saying it wasn't necessary. "No, problem." Looking much happier now but knew he had to say his goodbyes, "Just call me if you need anything." He started to walk back, still facing her but his direction was towards an old Ford Focus on the driveway. He drove … that? This Steve had really bad taste in vehicles that it was almost embarrassing.

Avery gave him a nod, smiling, "Got it." She gave him a short wave before slipping back into the house, closing the door. Without turning around, she released a deep breath she didn't even know she was holding, her head now resting against the door with eyes shut. Her mind started to fully process everything that's happened since 'waking up' and her mind reeled.

Everything was _so_ different from the world that she knew and that's what's really getting to her. It's what's making her realize that this place couldn't be real – there was no James Buchanan Barnes, and the person that looked like Steve - he may look, sound and smell like her Steve but … it wasn't him. It just didn't feel right.

This … alternate life wasn't hers, maybe it is in another lifetime of another time stream if those things even exist, but it wasn't hers … and she needed to get back to her own. "This ISN'T real." She said loudly with a finality in her tone. The words being driven straight out of what she believed – there was no hesitation when speaking – she believed her words with a full heart.

"… _It should have been me…"_ She heard James's voice fill the room loud and clear – something was happening, something that made her heart beat faster than it usually should. _"…I should be the one laying in that bed..."_

Suddenly, a tingling sensation started appearing through her body and a sharp pinch stabbed the inside her head. "This isn't real." She repeated and the pain suddenly became worse, so much so that her legs collapsed under her, a burning sensation running through every part of her body. "This isn't real." She breathed, trying to catch her breath, her eyes not focusing. Whatever was happening to her, she felt something working. She hoped whatever was happening to her was working in her favour.

"… _Don't…"_ Steve's voice came through, this time, a grief-filled one that sounded a lot different from the one she just hugged outside. _"… just, don't…"_

A gasp left her lips, feeling a trickle of blood fall down her nose, dripping onto the ground. Little patches of blood started appearing over her body, it sunk into the material she wore within several specific spots. "This isn't real." Her vision started to darken, embracing the pain as small holes started to appear on her skin now, a blinding pain jolting her nerves, "This isn't real." She said one last time and everything began spinning, a sharp pierce appearing in her heart this time. But, before everything around her went dark, a person appeared before her, one that she was all but familiar with.

Her father.

She would have spoken but her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton balls – she could feel herself begin to gag and there was no way she could feel movement through the better part of her body.

He was smiling gently, a proud look on his face, "I'm so proud of you, Avery," He said, wearing the exact same clothes as he did the day he died. He walked forwards, bending down to her unstable body. Her arms were barely able to continue holding her upper half up, her eyes were already fluttering. She was trying so hard just to hang on long enough to hear the rest of what he was saying.

"You're following your own path and I am so sorry for everything my part of your future has caused. You and your brother were the best things that ever came out of my life and I screwed it both up so bad." He placed a hand on her cheek, tears connecting with his palm the moment she felt his touch, "When you wake up; live the life you want to and _never_ forget who YOU are."

There were tears in his eyes, "I love you so much, sweetheart."

The darkness fully evaded her senses and that was the last thing Ava heard before she blacked out – unsure of what will appear when she'll next wake up.

 **Note: Okay, so I really hoped you guys liked this chapter and it didn't feel too out of place.**

 **Two chapters left!**

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	23. The Hope of Life

**There's only one chapter left and it'll be up either tomorrow or Thursday!**

 **Avengers: Age of Ultron | Saviours | The Hope of Life**

 _A strangled gasped rattled through Steve's body, a shark pain ricocheting through his veins, an almost dagger-like spike piercing his heart. He stumbled on his feet before falling on his knees. He didn't fully understand what was happening to him, but the moment Bucky's horror-filled yell hit his ears -something in his own mind clicked. A hole scarred his heart and it suddenly felt empty inside – it was like half of him had been ripped out by force._

 _Thor was next to him, stunned into what he was seeing in front of him, "Steve?" He questioned in a concerned tone, putting a hand on that man's shoulder, bending down to see what could have hurt his fellow teammate. But it was like Steve couldn't focus on just any one thing – the surroundings around him jut seemed to melt away from existence._

 _The only word that left Steve's mouth was, "Ava…" Choking out and his twin's name came out in anguish._

Many, many hours later; Ultron was completely vanquished from Earth, and the Avengers' were back at the tower to reconvene. The last of the people that had been stuck in the flying city of Sokovia had now been saved and Fury was currently setting up certain things so that those Sokovian's can get on with their lives. It wasn't going to be easy but the good thing right now was that they were alive.

Not much could be said for the Avengers', though, because there was one missing member - Avery Rogers. During the last fight, she sacrificed herself to save James Buchanan Barnes and a small boy from dying by terrible means. She had pushed a car to become a shield and it was moved with all her might, however, there hadn't been enough time to shade _herself_ from the incoming blasts.

In Avery's room; her body laid on top of the bed, only a few drops of crimson blood leaking into the sheets as her blood had stopped pumping a long while ago. Her death had been quick – one shot had gone directly through her heart and with the amount of adrenaline that would have been running through her body, she probably never felt a thing as she passed away.

Sitting against the wall, his head staring numbly at her body was James, the man and lover she saved. There were tear stains practically drawn against his cheeks and he was still in his uniform, all covered in dirt and a good quantity of his own blood. He couldn't stop staring at her whitened face – almost praying that his mind was playing tricks on him, that somehow in a sick sense that this was all just a practical joke. But it wasn't … she didn't move … she didn't breathe … and there had been no shine in those beautiful hazel eyes the moment he looked into them back on the battlefield.

James's heart was broken, knowing now that Ava wasn't missing like she used to be and presumed dead because this time … she was just that. This isn't how it was supposed to be … Steve needed her here with him … _he_ needed her with him. They had plans after the fight was over; he was going to take her travelling, finally, like they promised each other all those years ago. He wanted to show her the world, even though he was still learning a lot about this new one himself. But now, it would never happen and a big part of him was just refusing to believe it.

The pain was just too great.

 _Bucky slowly dropped the now unconscious boy to the ground gently but made sure his head didn't get hit. His vision never left the unblinking eyes of the woman he loved. Her body was laid front-first on the ground, her head twisted sidewards with it pointed towards him, like he had been her last living look before the spark left her eyes._

 _The reality started to hit him the moment he inched closer, his shaking hand grazing against her shoulder. "A-Ava." He breathed, his breath hitching with emotion. He carefully turned her body over so her back was now on the ground, her eyes gazing upwards towards the partially clouded covered sky. The seconds drew on as he picked up her upper half, curling her body up to his, beginning to pray that this wasn't happening. Not to_ her.

 _But it was. The moment he looked down into her hazel eyes ... they were as lifeless as her body was, every part of her motionless. His breathing deepened, almost heaving with a heavyweight, "AVA!" His yell could be heard for miles, his voice full of grief and loss._

The room stayed silent; only the breathing of the two men that meant most to Ava appeared in the air, each dealing with their own grief and realization of what's happened. The nightmares they've had even before Zola first stole her from them were coming true.

The moment Steve dropped to his knees back in Sokovia, he could barely lift himself, and in the end, Thor had to do most work in getting him on a boat. He had been in a kind of stasis of stares – not replying to anyone, almost like he was trapped in his own mind. It wasn't until Wanda, actually, when she brought him back out of his head. Sure she had used her power but she also used her words – only Pietro and she knew exactly what he could be feeling. Losing a twin was literally like losing a part of you. The feeling that neither of them wanted to go through, ever.

Steve had been the first to cut through the silence from where he sat over to the side, his back also against the wall, "She's gone, Buck." His voice cracked, salty water leaking out of his eyes in pain. His eyes still never leaving her remains. She was lying in the middle of the double bed, her bloody uniform on and it was very distinctive as to how many shots she took. There were six in total – only one being purely fatal to a super soldier. "She's really gone this time."

"It should have been me." Bucky murmured in return, shaking his head slowly, wishing Ava hadn't done the stupidly heroic thing that saved him and in return – it killed her instead. He felt so guilty, he was practically drowning in it, "I should be the one laying in that bed – not _her_."

As he spoke, Steve was shaking his head, understanding how his best friend was feeling but it was no point – it was neither of their faults and that's what they're having difficulty accepting. "Don't." He said, knowing Ava wouldn't want them to think those things. Because, as painful it is to admit, she sacrificed herself for someone she loved, including an innocent child. It was a brave and heroic thing – something of which he'd itch to strangle her for doing, but it had been her choice.

With everything that's gone on in the past few years and everything in between, part of him knew deep, _deep_ down that she might have done something like this. He knew how guilty she felt about a lot of things – especially when it came to her past in becoming the Winter Soldier. She was looking for redemption from her dark past, the one that left her scarred and broken.

The part that pained him most of all was the fact that she _was_ getting better – he could see it, everyone could.

The full force of his twin's death was coming back. Part of him should have known something else would try and break the trio again – it had been too good to be true … too good to last. It's like they never get the happy ending they deserve.

"Just … don't." Steve's plead was left hung in the air and everything went silent again. He knew Ava wouldn't want him talking like that – she wouldn't want either of them talking like that. She'd probably come back from the grave and murder them herself for even thinking the notion.

A small knock sounded from the door and a second waited before a head poked through, followed by a female body. Natasha. Her red hair flat, wounds still grazing parts of her skin and sections of her uniform were ripped around her stomach region. Her skin was pale and looked similarly like the American Heroes did – losing Ava was essentially like losing a part of family for her. Having to grow up in the KGB meant no contact or knowing who her real parents were - even if she had any family at all. Winter had pretty much stepped into that role the moment she arrived at the organization that trained young girls to become spies.

She owed a lot to the woman in some sense – if it wasn't for her, she probably would have become one of those broken bodies that resulted at the end of a death match within the circle. She would never have made it to the Graduation Ceremony either, no matter how much she wanted to escape that fate anyway.

Usually with deaths of ones closest to her or even with someone that's injured, she's able to detach herself and become as emotionless as can be. Something else that was also taught to her by Winter. But, for some reason, she couldn't seem to fully get a grip of that technique in her moment of need for it. She was finding it hard not to break down – she's had enough experience with acting to hide it enough from the outside to stop people from worrying, though.

"Hey," Natasha spoke softly, her head barely glancing over to the body of Avery Rogers and the woman she used to know as the Winter Soldier. Neither Bucky, not Steve reacted to her voice, not even saying a word to let her know if they heard her.

Usually, she'd know what to say or at least act like she knew everything, but in this instance – she really didn't know what to say. It's been several hours, nearly a day since Ava's heart stopped beating and she knew very well what happens to a body when that happens. She had been the one to volunteer to talk to the American Heroes – she was the closest to the two after Ava.

Natasha quietly closed the door behind her, "Guys, I know … I know this isn't something you want to think about – let alone talk about, but…" Her head glanced over to Ava's body again to silently let them know what she was trying to say, her voice losing its power to say words.

But then, something suddenly caught her eye, something in particular on the woman's stomach. There had been a shot fired through that region and it was … it was _gone_. Taking a step forward, her eyes observing the spot closer and indeed, there was only clear skin where the wound should be. The clothing was still ripped of course – it's why she realised without a doubt that it was gone.

Steve swallowed hard, looking away just as Bucky did, feeling his throat slowly clogging up with tears again, "We know." He said quietly, still not looking towards anything other than the floor. He knew exactly how long it had been since her passing – he remembered the hole being ripped out of him during the fact. He was starting to steadily accept the fact that some miracle wouldn't happen – if it would, Ava would be up by now and mostly likely squeezed to death by hugs whether she wanted them or not.

Bucky glanced over to Natasha and a spark of something in his gut made him notice the look on her face, especially as she inched just a little closer to Ava. There was confusion leaking into her features and it was like she couldn't believe something. "Natasha, what is it?" Not sure what she was particular she was looking at other than … Ava – his heart constricted again.

Natasha was shaking her head, "I-I don't know." She honestly stated, bewildered. Her eyes bounced between all the places a notable hole had been on Avery's body and they were ALL gone. "The places where she was shot, they're all just … gone. Like there never was any to begin with."

And suddenly, no one in the room had a chance to speak or even think another second because a deep gasp left Avery's mouth and her eyes snapped open. Natasha stumbled back harshly into the chest of drawers next her with a hard thump, her eyes were widened with a mixture of shock, disbelief and surprise. A common set of emotions that suddenly filled everybody in the room.

The two American heroes were shocked stiff, their heads startled up towards the direction of the bed – their jaws dropped, eyes blinking ten to the dozen and their hearts probably stopped at the sight before them.

Ava had been surrounded in darkness but like before, it was like someone slammed her with something and it woke her right up. As the lively gasp fell out of her mouth and her eyes opened again with sharpness, her body jerked into a sitting position and she was met with the brown eyes she's been looking for. Her brother next to him and quickly she noticed Natasha backed up into a drawer set.

The three just blinked – all thoroughly bouncing between shocked and stunned. They just couldn't seem to move any part of their body to fully comprehend what had just happened.

Unaware of the fact that she had been dead for almost a day, Ava looked down at her arm and an immediate sigh left her lips at the sight of it being connected to her body. Winter's signature metal arm was back, "You know," She finally spoke, her voice was a little croaky but clearing her throat deeply got rid of the problem. "I don't think I've ever been so glad to see this arm in my life as I do right now." Letting out a small chuckle, giving out the honest truth.

The seconds felt like hours but as soon as she said those words – Ava stifled a gasp again when she felt three people crashing into her body from all angles, arms wrapped around her tightly into a three-way crushing hug. She winced silently, still feeling a few wounds around parts of her body. But, the pain barely put a dent in her mood though because as she closed her eyes, she leaned into the gestures, knowing in her heart that this is where she's meant to be.

" _This is real … this is definitely real."_ She thought, breathing a deep sigh of relief.


	24. Parting Ways - For Now

**Avengers: Age of Ultron | Saviours | Parting Ways … For Now**

As the next few weeks passed by; it was quickly revealed that Tony had kept another secret from the rest of the team. But luckily for him, this wasn't a bad one. For some time now he's been in the market for building an Avengers' training centre and it was more specifically driven towards new recruits. Those including Pietro and Wanda, the Vision, Falcon, aka Sam Wilson and the War Machine, aka James Rhodes. In the end, Rhodey thought it would be a good change of career to fully join the Avengers' but he also realized that becoming an Avenger could not only get him a lot more enticing stories for the ladies, but he'd also be saving a lot more lives in the process.

The Avengers' building was complete within a couple of days after Ava woke up and already the place was full to the brim of past and new Shield Agent. Everyone in the building had to go through a vigorous number of screenings, polygraphs, and triple checks in order to be hired again within the ranks. They did not want a repeat of last time but even then, Hydra wouldn't even dare try and do the same as they did last time.

When Avery Rogers woke up from the dead; there _were_ questions but no one seemed to have any real answers to them. Not Tony or even Thor – the Asgardian had not witnessed a miracle such as this in all his years. It steadily became an answer of silence and acceptance that didn't matter too much. The point was - Ava was back and it didn't really matter too much at this point. Steve and Bucky were the more relieved and thankful ones of the group … _obviously_. There was one thing that the Avengers' knew, and that's what could have happened if Ava had not woken up and she was still deceased, nothing would have ever been the same again.

Bucky, Steve, and even Natasha would have changed the most because of it – no one really gets over the death of someone whose been a major centre of their lives.

Many of the team were leaving today and towards new pathways; for Thor, he was heading back to Asgard on a mission to find out why so many infinity stones have begun popping up in so little years. Clint had already left and gone back to his expecting wife and young kids and that was soon after Ava had woken up. Tomorrow, Ava and Bucky would also be leaving for a long period of time – going on the trip they planned _literally_ decades ago. It wouldn't be forever because they were Avengers' now and that was the main focus of their lives. Both of them knew they could never really have a normal life again and strangely enough, they've begun to accept that fact and maybe even enjoy it to some degree. They were with each other and right now, that's more than good enough.

Yes, having a normal life with a white picket fence and kids running around had been a dream for them, however, given who they've become, maybe it just can't happen? Maybe they just weren't cut out to have that luxury?

Walking down a hallway, heading towards the exit door was Thor, Tony, Bucky, and Steve – they were all having the last chat before Thor was to be leaving for Asgard. Bucky and Steve were in their uniforms again – something that's become quite a necessity for wherever they go. Thor was also still in his own battle gear. Tony was in his usual attire when not in his Iron Man suit; an expensive suit and tie were worn – he was the fourth member to be leaving the fold on this day, at least … for a while.

"The rules have changed," Steve said, glancing over to the other men. They were pretty much just talking about the newest Avenger, Vision. He wasn't exactly going anywhere on his own and with a couple of the old team leaving now – they needed the muscle just in case another catastrophe occurred while they were away.

Tony agreed, nodding his head, "We're dealing with something new." Still feeling proud that he had created Jarvis in a body – so far, there have been NO negative effects.

Bucky's lip quirked, "The Vision is just artificial intelligence." That's what Jarvis had been anyway.

"A machine." Tony mused to himself – Jarvis had indeed been an invention of his … a _machine_.

"So, it doesn't count." Steve pushed – and in all fairness, they were actually having a conversation on how the Vision could actually hold Thor's _mighty_ hammer. Especially when Steve couldn't back at the Avengers' party way back when.

Between the conversation between the three; Thor was just grinning, finding what and how they were speaking to be very amusing. Honestly, even he didn't know how the Vision was able to lift his Mjolnir but it hasn't exactly been a bad thing, considering he was saved by the new being in battle just a few weeks ago.

Tony, like everyone else, was still intrigued by what the answer really was as to why the artificial intelligence being could hold the hammer and not them. "No, it's not like a person lifting the hammer."

"Exactly," Bucky exclaimed, his arm gesturing over to Tony as if he were trying to prove a point. "There's different rules for us."

"A nice guy." Tony continued, nodding with a small smirk, "But artificial."

Steve huffed, exasperated, "Thank you."

Thor finally decided to speak, giving his own inclination, "If he can wield the hammer then he can keep the mind stone." The four of them slowed to a stop in the middle of the hallway, "Besides, it's safe with the Vision. And these days, safe is in short supply." There was trust in his voice, an apparent notion that all could determine from him.

All Avengers' could completely agree on the last statement – especially after everything that's happened over the last couple of years.

"But…" Bucky put on a thoughtful face, something else coming to mind … more of an amusing thought really, "If you put the hammer in the elevator-" Tony butted in, finishing his sentence.

"-it would still go up." Their theory belted a laugh out of the son of Odin.

Steve shrugged, "The elevators not worthy." Using Thor's own words against him on the subject of worthiness.

Thor let out a long sigh, clearly disheartened as he patted Tony on the shoulder. "I'm going to miss these little talks of ours." He announced and honestly, he'd miss being on Earth too very much.

It was almost like Tony was silently begging for the man to stay when he said, "Not if you don't leave." Suggestion clearly in his voice.

"I have no choice." Thor shook his head, continuing down the hallway again with the men by his side, "The Mind Stone is the fourth of the Infinity Stones to show up in the last few years. It's not a coincidence." At this point, they had finally arrived outside and nearby you could hear soldiers being trained. "Someone has been playing an intricate game and has made pawns of us. And once all these pieces are in position…"

"Triple Yahtzee." Tony finished for him.

Bucky looked over with question but was also intrigued, "You think you can find out what's coming?"

Thor nodded his head, determined, "I do, and besides this one-" He patted Tony hard on the chest to let everyone know exactly who he was talking about, "-there's nothing that can't be explained." He gave the half-team one last smile before activating the portal that would take him back to Asgard. And, within seconds, all that was left on the ground consisted of patterned burn marks where the grass was scorched.

That patch of grass won't be growing back anytime soon.

Tony huffed in annoyance at this, "That man has _no_ regard for lawn maintenance." Shaking his head. He turned around before beginning the journey towards his mode of escape. His very expensive and high range car. "I'm gonna miss him, though." He glanced over to the two men left walking beside, "And you're gonna miss me – the both of you. There's gonna be A LOT of manful tears." He said with a dramatic tone to his voice. He then clicked the button in his hand, telling his car to come to him now.

"Sure…" Bucky drawled with the balance of a sarcastic tone and a teasing one in his voice. "You throw my girlfriend into several walls and you don't think grudges uphold." Steve chuckled silently, shaking his head. He knew that grudge was over a short while ago.

Tony put his hands up in defence, "Hey!" He exclaimed, "I said I was _sorry_ and you know how much apologising kills me … besides, your _girlfriend_ for her own back." Subtly rubbing his jaw, remembering the whopping punch he received just last week. The bruise had just finished going away but there was still a bit of soreness left underneath. He could admit though – he had deserved that - for a few things in fact.

"We know." Steve nodded, still smiling, "And you know what – we'll still miss you too, Tony." The man really was a one of a kind. Below that cocky exterior – there really was the potential for a great friend beneath.

"Yeah?" Tony looked over at them with raised eyebrows the moment his peach colored car parked beside him. He stopped, turning around to the American Heroes he's actually grown fond of over the years. "Well, it's time for me to tap out." A thoughtful look suddenly crossed his face, "Maybe I should take a page out of Barton's book. Build Pepper a farm and hope that nobody blows it up." That wasn't very likely to happen, unfortunately.

Bucky nodded, liking the imagination of him and Ava having something like that. "The simple life." It used to be an ideal future for them but now, he just couldn't quite picture the new them having something like that.

Tony looked between the heroes, "You two will get there one day – Ava too." He had hopes for them, even for who they were.

Steve shook his head, sighing, "I don't know." He said, conversing on a subject that's been with him for a long time. And for Bucky and Ava, it was more so. "Family, stability … the guy who wanted all that went in the ice 75 years ago and … I think someone else came out."

Tony looked over to Bucky alone, "And what about you and the missis?" He asked, interested. "Anything after your secret travel plans?" Wiggling his eyebrows in suggestion with that familiar cocky smirk was back on his lips.

Bucky just simply rolled his eyes at that … but then became serious, "I think at this point we're just accepting that we can't have the hopes we planned for all those years ago. Ava's still got a lot to get through but for now, we're just going to make up for lost time and try to forget about the past."

The Billionaire nodded, understanding, "But you're alright, though-" Looking between both, "-the pair of you?" This was probably one of the few times where Tony actually looked friendly concerned for them. When they first met as the Avengers' project started up – who knew they'd become an actual team?

Steve and Bucky shared a look, shrugging with something along the lines of a content smile playing on their faces, "We're home."

…

The next day; Avery and Bucky were standing outside in regular normal clothing. Stuff that they'd wear out in public and didn't want to be noticed for who they really are. It was especially concerning for Ava in particular because when all of Shield and Hydra's files were leaked – so were hers. That also included everything vague detail that she's ever done in the service of the enemy. Not everything was there but it's enough to get the worse kinds of punishments in the crime sector. So far, she has been particularly lucky when going outside in public, even with her arm hidden as much as she could – her face should have been easily recognisable because of museums too which made her even luckier to have not been caught.

Bucky threw his rucksack of clothing into the car truck and everything he and Ava would need for their travels would be in there. They weren't too sure of where they were actually going yet but he couldn't help but be excited that at least one future hope was essentially coming true. Also, just in case, he was bringing his uniform with him and Ava was taking hers. Even though they were basically off duty for at least a month or two – if something big was to go down, they'd be back to help for sure.

Ava put her bag next to his - normally they'd be taking the motorcycle instead of a car but it wasn't exactly practical for the length of time they were going to be away for. "You ready?" She questioned, an excited smile on her lips about where they might end up by the end of the day. She had been counting down the days for this one to come. A break was needed for the both of them and this is exactly what they needed. She just wanted to live in as much of the now as possible and forget about everything that was included in the past.

This trip was the best first step in accomplishing that task.

Bucky closed the trunk, turning to her with his own smile, "Absolutely." They had already said their round of goodbyes until next time but it _was_ going to be strange not seeing the team every day.

Nearly everyone was parting ways and new trouble was sure to come – but, even if it does – as long as the Avengers' work as a team, anything was possible, right?

X – X - X

 _ **A few years ago; Winter would never have thought she'd be where she was today – in the Avengers' and back with a man whom the deepest part of her loved with all her heart. It took a lot of effort and a big stride to accomplish all that she has so far. But, she couldn't have done any of it on her own. Back then she was a fragmented being with little to no memories in her head and all she knew was to be a sworn soldier with nothing but a fearless and cold attitude. She made others quake in fear for their lives and anyone around them – but now, she could more or less control that demon within her. There were bad times but so far she's been able to struggle through them.**_

 _ **She'll never be the same Avery Rogers again and everyone knew this - but the long ride of finding out the new her was getting shorter every day because of who she had around her for support.**_

 _ **And as Avery Lola Rogers looked over at James Buchanan Barnes, now driving in the car that would lead them to an adventure waiting to happen – she reminisced in the fact that this man and her brother, truly were her**_ _Saviours_ _ **.**_

 _ **Because she never would have gotten to this point without them.**_

 **X – Final Story Note – X**

And … this story is now finally complete. Ah-ha!, anyway …. Just a couple of short notes below for everyone to read….

 **[1]** The **next book after Saviours** will _hopefully_ be Civil War, but obviously I'm going to have to twist the movie a little just because Ava is no longer on the run. I do have a few interesting ideas in mind, though (as long as the movie plays out the way I think it will). The movie comes out in a theatre near me tomorrow but I'm going to make sure I get a seat to see it on either tomorrow or Saturday when I get back to my college dorm. **EEPP!** _Fangirl moment_ , lol. Anyway, I'll keep everyone posted on what's supposed to be happening about that and I'll say what I've decided.

I've also realized that because I've kept Pietro alive – I'm not too sure what to do about him in the following movies sequels. If I have him in the next movies and there aren't a lot of 'bad guys' to get rid of then story is going to be pretty short. Now I'm kind of understanding why they killed him off in the Age of Ultron, fights would be over way too quickly because of his ultra speed.

 **[2]** As long as everyone's still into it, the alternate book two after Alive but not Awake will be out when Civil war comes out on DVD!

 **[3]** I will leave the poll for the next movie-story up until, lets say … Sunday morning at 11am. (Ontario-Canada-Time) I'll post in a final-final note soon after that time as to what everyone has chosen for me to write next.

 **Thank you all SO MUCH as always for sticking by this story and I really hope everyone enjoyed it very much! If you could, leave me some lasting comments about the story as a whole because I always absolutely love to read any reviews I get. I'm always interested to know!**

 **Follow, Fav, and Review!**

 **X-Lisa-Anne-X**


	25. FINAL AUTHOR NOTE

**GOOD NEWS!**

After watching Captain America: Civil War yesterday I am SO HAPPY to say that there will be a sequel connected to the movie. The next book after Saviours will be a revision of Civil War. I haven't figured out what I going to have as a title but I'll let everyone know closer to the point where I start publishing it. YEY!

* * *

 **VOTED STORY IS BELOW!**

 **I won't be starting it until probably next weekend; long story short, I'm sick. lol. Anyway, a few of you may recognize the name/summary from a past story I tried to start probably about 2 years ago now. It'll be different and the old versions are going to be deleted later on today.**

* * *

 **VOTED STORY:** 'The Red Stone' **[Harry Potter Fanfic] _(Won by 4 votes! Came to a total of 73)_**

 **Summary:** Lyla Kerrigan, 'The Girl who Lived' has survived the killing curse – but, unfortunately, it came at a price – her mother dying by the hands of Lord Voldemort. Just before she turns 11 years old, a letter gets delivered to her by an owl – and inside that letter, her whole world will change.

...

 **IN-PROGRESS:** 'Treads of Trust' **[White Collar Fanfic]**

 **Summary:** Peter Burke has an adopted sister; one many people don't know about. He turned FBI and she turned Conman, or should we say, Con-Woman? Avery Daniels broke out of prison for one reason that folded. In light of joining the White Collar team will she change when meeting the dashing Neal Caffrey, FBI Agent in the WC Division, or will she stay the same? Lonely and lost of a purpose?


	26. Shattering Relations - Sneak Peak

**Sneak Peak: Shattering Revelations – Book 3**

A loud masculine groan filled the air, coming from none other than James Buchanan Barnes. He was lying on the floor in a pair of dark jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, a large patch of red dripping down the side of his face and the pounding in his head told him that something large had been struck towards the back of his head. _"What the hell…"_ He mumbled almost incoherently, his eyes slowly blinking open but they scrunched up again when a bright light shot at him from the open room's windows.

After adjusting himself to the light, his hand moved up to the back of his head to quickly assess the damage done to his skull, and he tried to recollect what had happened for him to end up like this. Everything felt blurry and undefined, the timeline was covered in flashes and they were too quick for him to follow in a direct line.

And suddenly, his eyes widened in realization, a snap in his brain bringing him back to reality – remembering what had happened. His heart clenched deeply while his head spun around the room (completely ignoring the thor-like hammer banging on the inside of his head) – he was looking for a particular someone special to him but she wasn't there – he couldn't see her at all. There was no one in sight and the apartment was a complete mess, it was like a bomb had gone off without all the fire combusting everything to ash.

"Ava!"

 **Eep! I couldn't resist it, I'm giving you guys a taste of what Book 3 has to come.**

 **Oh, no, Ava! What do you think happened to land Bucky in this horrible state?**

 **Does this make anyone intrigued? I know it would for me, so let me know what you think! Excited yet?**

* * *

BREAKING NEWS!  
CIVIL WAR WILL BE OUT ON SEPTEMBER 13TH

*** Sequel will be out days after this date! ***

* * *

 **Book 3 – Shattering Relations**


	27. Shattering Relations - NOW PUBLISHED!

So...

Just to let you guys know - SHATTERING RELATIONS IS NOW PUBLISHED! Way ahead of schedule! I found the movie online for free so I didn't need to wait for the movie to come out on DVD after all. Although, updates won't be regular still!

But yes, **Shattering Relations** now has chapter 1 published so make sure you head over to it, read, follow, fav, and review!

Everlasting Bond's 1st chapter will be up in a couple of days, just need to get through a couple of assignments/exams!


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